It Started Over Coffee: Seattle
by Rasengan22
Summary: Coffee Universe. Naruto goes with Sasuke to Seattle to await the outcome of Itachi's trial. With the stress straining their relationship, will they be able to overcome this obstacle together, or will the unknown start to tear them apart?
1. Arrival

**Coffee timeline:** This would take place after the main fic and after the first grouping of sidefics, but before Coffee Sidefics II. It doesn't hurt to have read everything there is of Coffee, though.

**This story is edited for content.**

* * *

><p>When the plane began its take off, Naruto watched out the window as the jet shook with some minor turbulence. He didn't hate flying exactly, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't make him kind of nervous. Once they got to cruising altitude, he'd be okay, and landing wasn't so bad either, but maybe because of one awful flying experience when he was younger - there were some nerves. Sasuke must've sensed it because he covered Naruto's hand where it lay between them on the seats.<p>

"This is our first time flying together," he said quietly. "I didn't know you're not a fan of it."

"Nah. It's fine." He flashed Sasuke a grin, not wanting him to worry that he'd suddenly freak out and need to be tackled and sedated. "Must be a control thing, huh? If it goes down, guess I gotta go with it?"

"Flying's safer than driving, Naruto. There's nothing to be nervous about." He gave his hand a squeeze.

"Thanks. So. ...How are _you_ doin'?"

"I'm fine," Sasuke replied, a little too quickly for him to believe it.

Naruto chose not to make a big deal out of it, though. Yesterday morning, when he'd caught Sasuke, well, _crying_, he'd been rather worried, and since Sasuke refused to talk about it, Naruto decided not to push the topic. He knew anyway; he'd known for a while that the stress of Itachi's trial was getting to him (the losing weight, mood swings, and migraines were big enough clues). However, he'd decided since the day Sasuke asked him to go to Seattle that he'd be there to support him no matter what happened.

"So, what are we gonna do when we get there?" He asked, changing the subject.

When Sasuke started to smirk, Naruto could all but hear his thoughts.

He rolled his eyes. "I meant are we gonna go _out_?"

"Of course. I have to meet with our lawyer, so you can stay at the hotel until I get back, or you can do your own thing. And then I thought we'd have dinner?" He rubbed his thumb over Naruto's hand. "Then I'll take you out since it's the one night we'll be downtown."

"To one of the clubs you used to frequent when you were a rebellious youth?"

"You're in my hometown. Obviously I have to show you off."

"You mean you have to _show_ off," he replied. "I hope you haven't left too many broken hearts behind, or maybe I'll have to beat all these men off with a stick?"

"I don't think I want you beating anyone off," Sasuke picked up his hand, held it pressed to his lips, and kissed it. "...No one but me anyway."

"Say, Sasuke," Naruto whispered, "Have you ever thought about joinin' the mile high club?"

"What makes you think I haven't already?"

"Ass." Playfully, Naruto shoved him. "So, um. When will I get to meet Itachi?"

"As soon as I get permission from the lawyer for us to stay at the house. We'll head over there tomorrow. It's about 25 to 30 minutes from downtown."

"Okay."

There was another bout of turbulence, and Naruto gazed anxiously out the window, watching the wing shake. The seatbelt light remained on, but the flight attendants were moving about the cabin, preparing to serve drinks.

"Do you need a drink?" Sasuke asked. "Maybe it'll calm you down."

"I'm fine," he said, still staring out the window. He pressed his fingers to it. They were just starting to rise above the clouds, and where it had been gray before, now the sky was a clear blue, with the sun shining brightly in the west.

"Naruto," he heard Sasuke say.

"Hm?"

Sasuke leaned over so that he spoke into Naruto's ear. "Thank you for coming with me."

Smiling warmly, Naruto turned to him, almost close enough to make their noses brush. "No problem."

* * *

><p>Apparently, the plane was landing ahead of schedule. Naruto spent the last half hour of the flight dozing off until he'd heard the pilot's announcement over the speakers about beginning their descent. It seemed as though he'd drooled on the shoulder of Sasuke's jacket while sleeping.<p>

"Sorry 'bout that," he said, rubbing at the corner of his mouth.

"We're in Seattle," Sasuke replied softly.

Naruto smiled. "The city that birthed you."

Tilting his head to the side, Sasuke reached across to push his hair out of his eyes. He looked as if he was thinking hard about something.

"Furrowed brow," Naruto murmured. "Whatcha thinkin'?"

"Stuff."

"You're thinkin' about how good lookin' I am, aren't you?"

"Always." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto chuckled and, straightening up in his seat, glanced out the window. Now he could see the whole of the city as the plane began to circle the airport. Thinking he heard Sasuke say something, he turned to him again.

"Hm?"

"Nothing," said Sasuke. "I didn't say anything."

Naruto studied him before nodding, pretty sure he had. "Alright. So what's the plan?"

"We'll get our luggage and then catch the hotel shuttle." He checked his watch. "We'll have just enough time to check-in before I have to meet with the lawyers."

"Too bad. Not even enough time for a quick handjob?"

"There's always time for that. I won't be gone that long. Surely you can survive without me for a little while?"

"You know me," he said. "I'll hang out at the bar, pick up some chicks. Seduce them with my Midwestern charm."

"So long as you make sure to kick them out of our room before I get back."

Ten or so minutes later, the plane began to touch down. They were officially in Seattle. Naruto leaned over and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Sasuke wore a half-smile, searching his face for an answer.

Naruto shrugged. "Excited, I think. Despite the circumstances. Just happy to go somewhere with you."

Sasuke bit his lip (and damn did he look good when he did it, too). "Yeah. There's definitely time for a quick _something_ when we get to the hotel."

"Yeah?" He had his eyes on Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's thigh, moving it up higher. "Is your plan to distract me with sex?"

"If you think it'll work."

"Aren't you the one who's told me not to use sex as a distraction?"

"In this instance I think we can make an exception. Imagine me as your own personal stress ball..."

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head before moving his hand from off of his leg. "You're lucky you're not bad to look at because you really are such a..."

Naruto gazed at him expectantly, corner of his mouth curling into a challenging smirk. "Yes, Sasuke. What am I?"

Sasuke didn't say. He ended up sighing as he poked Naruto in the cheek. The plane's surprisingly short time taxiing came to an end as they pulled up to the gate. Soon, everybody was getting out of their seats and grabbing their belongings out of the overhead compartments. Naruto had a backpack in one, but Sasuke got it for him, handing it over. Naruto wanted to kiss him so badly right then. No doubt, Sasuke was already worrying, and Naruto wanted to do whatever he could to lessen his burden without smothering the crap out of him.

At least, as they were exiting the plane and heading onto the ramp, Sasuke gave him a firm slap on the ass.

"Best ass in all of Seattle," Sasuke told him and grinned.

"Don't I know it," Naruto replied, grinning back.

* * *

><p>When Naruto saw the inside of the hotel, he had to grab Sasuke by the sleeve of his shirt. "Are we really stayin' here?"<p>

Sasuke smiled. "Unless we got on the wrong shuttle. Why? Are you impressed?"

"You know who I am, right? I woulda been fine stayin' in, like, a Red Roof Inn. This looks expensive."

Sasuke leaned in closer. "It's one night. Don't worry about it."

Naruto frowned. "But we're only sleepin' here."

"I hope we're going to do more than that." Sasuke smirked. "Or. A _lot_ more than that."

"But you paid for my plane ticket, too. It makes me feel... kept or somethin'." Feeling embarrassed, he glanced away and scratched the back of his head.

"I thought we already discussed this. I asked you out here. I like to stay in nice hotels. I like to treat you when you'll let me. Don't worry about it." Sasuke took hold of a piece of Naruto's hair, held it for a few seconds, and then pushed it behind his ear.

"Fine," said Naruto. "But don't think when we have sex it's just 'cause you put me up in fancy places."

"Obviously," replied Sasuke, tilting his head to the side like he was about to kiss him. "We'll have sex tonight because we're both really good at it, and we can't help ourselves. Not because I expect anything from you."

"Sasuke," he whined, already liking the sound of that idea.

Sasuke grabbed for his hand and gave it a tug. "Come on, lover," he teased sarcastically. "Let's check-in, and maybe we can fit in some fooling around before I have to meet with the lawyer."

Naruto rolled his luggage behind him as he followed at Sasuke's side, grinning to himself even though he already knew his face was turning red. Stupid, provocative bastard! Why was he so damn cocky and sure of himself?

"Damn you, Sasuke," he murmured affectionately.

Having heard him, Sasuke chuckled. "You love it."

"You're fuckin' right I do."

* * *

><p>They were in a room on the 11th floor. It had a king-sized bed, and the window offered an amazing view of the downtown, with even a partial view of some mountains. Naruto was kneeling backwards in the chair, pushing aside the curtains. Sasuke was in the bathroom, preening himself. On the way up to the room, he'd received a call from the lawyer, asking if they could bump up the meeting, which meant Sasuke only had a few minutes before he'd need to leave.<p>

"Hmm." Naruto traced the shape of the mountains in the background with his index finger. The Midwest was a pretty flat place to live, with nothing really exciting to say about the general landscape. He almost envied Sasuke for growing up in a place like this, that was close to the ocean _and_ the mountains. Wasn't there a volcano in Washington, too? He wondered if there'd really be any time to do sight-seeing. Probably not.

Sasuke emerged from the bathroom, walked up behind him, and put a hand on top of his head. "What do you think?"

"I... really like it here," he said, looking up at him. Sasuke was staring out the window, frowning pensively. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Sasuke reflexively replied.

"Would you tell me if you weren't?"

After a while, Sasuke glanced down at him, his expression hard to read. "I may be a couple of hours. The concierge said the wine reception starts in an hour. Feel free to go to that, or take a nap. I'm sure even you wouldn't get lost if you decided to go for a walk around the block."

"Sasuke," he said seriously.

Sasuke's eyebrow lifted a bit. "For right now... I'm fine. Let's do this one day at a time. When I get back, I'll take you out, and we'll pretend we're on a real vacation, even if only for tonight."

"If that's what you want," he replied.

Sasuke took hold of his chin, staring at him intensely until he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "...Thank you," he said after he moved away again.

"No need to thank me," Naruto said as he watched Sasuke retrieve his wallet from off of the desk. "Just let me know when you need me."

Sasuke slid the wallet into his back pocket, making sure to leave one of the hotel keys on the TV stand. "I'll be back soon. Don't get into any trouble."

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll just jerk off until you get back." Naruto smirked when Sasuke stopped at the door.

"You wouldn't."

"I might."

"...I've got to go, Naruto."

Lazily, he waved. "I know. See ya later. Good luck."

Sasuke gazed at him a few seconds longer; Naruto stared back, trying to smile as if he wasn't anxious on his boyfriend's behalf. Then Sasuke opened the door and left. Naruto kept his eyes on the door, the fake smile he'd shown Sasuke slipping into a frown. He put his thumb to his bottom lip, biting nervously on his nail - a bad habit he used to have as a kid. Sighing, he turned to the window again, where some clouds had started to cover up the little bit of sunlight there'd been earlier. Maybe it would rain. It was Seattle, after all.

Now the question was, what would he do until Sasuke got back?

* * *

><p>He managed to pull himself away from the oh-so-comfortable bed to head down to the lobby. There were a considerable amount of guests arriving to check-in, but there was also a big group (many of them so dressed up it made him feel like a slob in comparison) taking part in the wine tasting. They were standing around the bar or grouped together at the dozen or so tables near the dining area. From what he could tell, he was the only person who'd come alone, but that was okay. He smiled at a middle-aged red-haired woman as he squeezed between a couple of chairs, one of which belonged to her table. He wished Sasuke was here. At the end of the bar, there was a rectangular table set up. The wine glasses were stacked into two pyramids, and there was an ice sculpture of a guitar in the center. <em>Why a guitar?<em>, he wondered, but it was pretty awesome looking. Two young female staff (both very attractive, maybe in their early 20's - not that he was checking them out). He happened to wander toward the side that had the girl with her hair down. Her skin was as pale as Sasuke's and she had longer, black hair. The other girl was tan, with lots of freckles on her cheeks, and strawberry-blonde hair in a French braid.

"How are you, sir?" The woman with the dark hair asked, smiling at him in a very friendly and sincere way. "Is this your first time in Seattle?"

"Uh, yeah," he answered, unable to help grinning in return because nice manners did that to him. "Anything you recommend I should see while I'm here?"

"Hm. Do you enjoy the outdoors? There's lots of hiking or biking trails. There's the aquarium and museums. You should go to the Space Needle, too! And the market..."

"Is that where the guys throw the fish? I know it's probably pretty touristy, but I've gotta see that, right?"

"If you can," she replied and then she seemed to notice a certain telling _look_ she was receiving from the other girl. "Um... so what would you like to drink? We have red, white, blush..."

"White, I think. Whatever you recommend is fine. I'm not picky."

"Do you prefer something dry or sweet? I really like the Riesling. It's more sweet than dry, but I find it very mild."

"S'fine with me," he said "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." She smiled sweetly at him again, and as she went to grab the bottle of wine from the mini refrigerator behind her, the other girl slid up next to her and said something Naruto didn't quite catch, but could guess was about him. Girls were so cute when they did things like that. Sasuke was always saying he was a natural flirt, but he didn't think so. He was just nice... to everybody.

The woman turned around and offered him the glass of wine.

"Thanks again," he said, taking it from her, careful not to let their fingers brush because now he was all self-conscious about it. "And thanks again for the sight-seeing tips. Have a good night."

She blushed as she waved him goodbye. "You, too, sir. Enjoy your stay."

He went in search of a place to sit. There was one spot at the bar, but it was right in the middle, and it already appeared extremely crowded and tight. There was a single chair over by the windows that looked out onto the sidewalk. Naruto decided to sit there. As he sipped his wine, he pulled out his phone, checking it for messages. Nothing from Sasuke, but he ended up taking a picture of his glass of wine and sent it off with a text to him.

_I'm gonna get drunk in the lobby and let someone take advantage of me if you don't get here soon_

Since there wasn't much else to do while sitting by himself, he texted Kiba, too. Luckily Kiba must not have been very busy today because he answered back within only a few minutes. They chatted and joked for maybe a half hour. By then, Naruto finished his wine, so he got up and returned the wine glass to his friend from earlier. She started to speak before he had time to leave.

"I hope you won't mind if I ask this - but did you come here alone, or...?"

"Ah." He grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Nah. I came with someone. He's got family here, so we're taking a vacation. Sort of."

"Oh," she said, and the crestfallen look on her face made him think she might know exactly what he meant. "Well... have a nice time."

"Thanks. I will." He offered a wave and a smile before heading to the elevators, wondering why being friendly sometimes came off as seeming interested and... available?

Crap. Now he wondered if he'd unconsciously been over-friendly with her because she had the same coloring as Sasuke? Nah. He didn't think so. He hadn't been any more or less friendly because of it.

Sasuke...

He sighed, feeling like a sap. They'd been apart, what, 90 minutes? When was he coming baaaaack?

No, he could be patient. Sasuke was off doing important, stressful, adult things, and he needed to remain calm and supportive!

Yes.

As he entered the elevator, three other people got in with him (an Indian couple and their young daughter). Naruto smiled at the little girl, who didn't appear any older than five or six. She had her hair in pigtails, tied up in green ribbons to match the tights she wore with her hot pink dress. The family got off at the fifth floor, and the rest of the way up, Naruto began to compare the differences between dating men versus dating women. It was odd sometimes... to know that women... well, yeah. He was still attracted to them, but when he thought of _Sasuke_ - hm, maybe he wasn't so far off when he'd told Sasuke that he might jerk off, after all. Especially if the meeting with the lawyer went long. To be honest, he'd almost considered bringing the toy he'd bought for Sasuke last week. But then he got paranoid someone in TSA would confiscate it. It reminded him of that scene in Fight Club with the dildo. Naruto shuddered, and as the elevator doors slid open, he stepped out and walked the long corridor until he reached their room. Once inside, he flopped onto the bed, turned on the TV, and checked his phone. He hadn't heard it go off, but he was very excited to see a message from Sasuke that said he'd be on his way back in about 30 minutes. Apparently he hadn't found his little joke about being taken advantage of by strangers funny since there was no comment about it. Hmph. Stingy. Guess that meant he wasn't in a very good mood.

He didn't think a whole lot further on it. The wine, it seemed, made him feel ready for a nap. He grabbed the pillows and shoved them under his head. There wasn't much on the TV, so he had to settle for some old Ben Affleck movie he didn't even remember coming to the theaters. It was no surprise that after about five minutes of watching it, he ended up falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Having dozed off, the next time Naruto awoke it was to find Sasuke sitting at the foot of the bed. For a split second, it almost freaked him out because he hadn't heard him come in. He sat up and stretched.<p>

"When did you get here?" he asked

Slightly, Sasuke turned, looking at him over his shoulder. "Maybe ten minutes ago."

"Hm. Why didn't you wake me?"

"I called your name, but you didn't wake up. I thought I'd let you sleep a while longer."

Naruto beckoned him closer. "C'mere. Tell me about the meeting?"

"Not much to tell," Sasuke said, his voice sounding strange. But he did start unlacing his boots. After taking them off, he crawled to the empty side of the bed and sat next to him.

Relieved, Naruto smiled at him a while until Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothin'." Naruto shook his head. "Just happy you're back. We're all okay to see Itachi tomorrow?"

"Yep. But if it's alright with you... can we... not talk about it right now?"

Naruto rubbed his lips together before replying, "Sure. Um, so. I went to the wine tasting."

"...And how did the wine taste?" Sasuke smirked. "Or should I find out for myself?" He reached across, and, putting a hand at the back of Naruto's neck, he brought him in for a kiss, sucking at his bottom lip. "Tastes sweet."

"Heh." Naruto scrunched his nose. "Woulda been nice to go with you. Me goin' solo apparently gave the wine lady the impression that I was single."

"Ah," said Sasuke, planting another kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Is that why you sent me that text? I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

He broke into a grin. "Oh, I dunno about that. I think you can _take_ me," he put a hand on Sasuke's thigh. "_Any_where."

Sasuke appeared amused, though he didn't laugh. "If you're talking like that, I suppose it's safe to say you didn't engage in any strenuous activities without me?"

"Nope."

Sasuke took hold of his hand. "Still up for dinner?"

"Duh." He squeezed Sasuke's hand. "Like you even have to ask."

"What about after?"

"I'll leave that to you," he said. "You're the tour guide, after all."

"Up for some dancing?" Was it just him, or did Sasuke's eyes kind of... twinkle?

"You're plotting something, I can tell." Naruto smiled broadly and laughed. "Whatever you want. But I think I left my dancin' leotard in Illinois."

"Thank God," Sasuke said dryly. "I didn't want to tell you, but I get embarrassed every time you wear that out."

Naruto picked up their joined hands and kissed the back of Sasuke's. "What, you really don't like it? Why didn't you ever tell me? It's 'cause of the camel toe, isn't it?"

"Shut up," Sasuke said, obviously disgusted as he shook his head. "That image just turned me off entirely."

He chuckled some more. "Don't worry. I'll dress so that you won't have to be ashamed when you take me out in public... Will a leather vest and assless chaps suffice?"

Sasuke groaned and started to get up from the bed. "That's offensive toward my people."

Naruto pulled him back down again with a yank of his sleeve. "Hey, they're my people now, too." He positioned his boyfriend on top of him, holding him in place with a hand at his waist.

Placing a hand on Naruto's cheek, Sasuke fingered his bangs to the side before sliding his hand up and pulling his head back by the hair. Naruto let out a surprised noise just as he felt Sasuke's teeth scrape up the side of his throat. He shifted on top of Naruto and slid his thigh between Naruto's legs, rubbing it in a slow movement against him.

He bit his lip, already in a daze because Sasuke had _that_ look on his face.

"Remember that time on the couch," Sasuke began, his voice low and gruff, "And that fantasy you shared with me?"

He cleared his throat. "...I remember."

Sasuke reached for his right wrist and held it down on the bed. Then, he reached for the other, trapping them on either side of Naruto's head. He continued to rub his thigh against Naruto's crotch - slowly, teasingly. Just enough that he started to quietly pant.

"I'm anxious," Sasuke said, speaking the words against his neck, instantly heating up his skin. "To see if we can make something like that happen?"

Naruto released a heavy sigh. "...Sasuke."

Sasuke lifted up to look at him. "Say my name like that again." He leaned down, his ear close to Naruto's mouth.

"_Sa_suke," he breathed. He felt the grip on his wrists get tighter - only for a few seconds - before there was another purposeful rub of Sasuke's thigh against him.

He closed his eyes, nearly moaning, but the sudden shift of Sasuke's warm body away from his brought him out of his fuzzy thoughts. Sasuke was already moving off of the bed.

"Get up," Sasuke said when he stood near the threshold to the bathroom. "I'm ready to go out."

Naruto let out a shaky breath, his head dropping back down on the pillow. "Um, yeah. Let's do that, but, uh... I think I'm gonna need a minute."

* * *

><p>They were sitting at the table of a nice restaurant just a few blocks away from their hotel, and as Sasuke confiscated the billfold to pay for their dinner, Naruto was starting to feel a little nervous. He'd never been to a gay club before, so he was feeling both excited and anxious. It was different when it was just the two of them doing whatever. Neither of them were big on labels, and having had plenty of time to think about what it meant (for him) to be dating another man, let's just say that his sexual identity still didn't feel a whole lot different than when dating a woman.<p>

Right, would that make sense to any normal person? He supposed he was a bit afraid of not fitting into a place where he _did_ belong (or did he?), not that he really believed in boundaries - places certain people could go or not go - and okay, was there any more wine left in Sasuke's glass? He snatched it from the opposite side of the table and unapologetically swallowed it all.

"What was that about?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow raising as he put his wallet away.

"Nothing," he answered, but he already knew that Sasuke was going to be able to get it out of him because he had those sorts of powers of persuasion.

"Are you sure?"

"Fine, I'm nervous, alright? Do you have to grill me like that? Sheesh!"

"Naruto..." Sasuke was obviously trying to hold it in, but he ended up laughing at him. When he saw that Naruto wasn't too happy about being laughed at, he pulled an especially concerned and serious face. "Okay. Why are you nervous? Is it because you can't dance?"

"It's - wait." He frowned. "You don't think I can dance?! I'm not going. It wouldn't be fair to you if the entire Seattle gay community knew you were with a guy that couldn't dance."

Sasuke leaned forward a bit. "I was kidding. You can dance as well as any other straight man."

"Is that a compliment or not? I'm unsure."

"What's important is that we get to finally go out somewhere, hold hands, be close... make out... or, whatever. And no one will give us looks of disgust or say anything. It's just good fun."

Naruto played with the end of the tablecloth. "Will I have to prove that I belong there?"

"There won't be an exam, no. You think you're the only straight man who's ever gone into a gay club before?"

Well, he supposed Sasuke had a point. "No, but. I dunno. I'm excited for the reasons you mentioned, but I dunno... I almost feel like..." He searched for the right word. "An impostor?"

Sasuke stared a second as if in disbelief. "Naruto, are you or aren't you dating another man."

"I am," he replied, setting his elbows on the table.

"I'm gay, Naruto. Very, very gay. And I have been for quite a while. Since birth I would say."

He nodded slowly. Okay, now he was starting to feel a bit stupid, but he wanted to at least be honest with Sasuke about it. People could get worked up over irrational things, right? It's normal!

"Do you not want to go?" Sasuke asked.

"No, I do!" He exclaimed rather loudly. "It's just... y'know how I get when I don't know what to expect. It makes me all... anxious and weird and over-stimulated... and stuff."

Sasuke offered him a droll look and got up from the chair. He moved to Naruto's side, grabbed a hold of his shirt, and gave it a tug. "C'mon. I'll make sure you have a good time. I promise you that by the end of the night you'll wonder why you were ever worried about it."

As Naruto got up, Sasuke held out his brown bomber jacket for him and helped him slip it on. While Naruto was in the process of zipping it, Sasuke stayed close by, watching him. He looked good tonight. Sasuke looked good in everything, though. He wore a pair of faded blue jeans that hung low on his waist, a (tight) very sexy black leather jacket over some designer t-shirt, and rock star belt. Of course, he'd styled his hair in that way that made him look as if he belonged in a rock band. If Naruto wasn't a better man, he would've felt a little inferior... but hey, he had his good qualities, too, and for not putting a whole lot of effort into getting ready, he didn't look too shabby.

"You're staring," Sasuke said in a low voice that, for some reason, drew Naruto's gaze directly to his lips. Noticing, Sasuke chuckled and grabbed for his hand. "Save it for when we get to the club."

Following slightly behind Sasuke as they left the restaurant, he had his head bowed since he was beginning to feel a bit giddy about going out with him tonight. The nervousness from before was transforming more into excitement as a few thoughts of what they'd be able to get away with - even amongst a crowd - began to play in his head like scenes from a movie. Before they were out the door, his gaze traveled down to Sasuke's butt. Even the way he walked was incredibly appealing.

How could he be so gay for just one man? So many times he'd wondered where or when Sasuke gained this amazing power. How could he be so attracted and so drawn to someone that he felt like he could follow him anywhere?

When Sasuke glanced at him over his shoulder and smirked self-assuredly, Naruto responded with his own playful smirk.

"You were checking out my ass, weren't you?" Sasuke held the door open for him.

Naruto stopped next to him, leaned in, and, waiting for that moment when Sasuke closed his eyes, kissed him firmly on the lips.

"I guess I couldn't wait," he said when Sasuke's eyes opened.

Sasuke hummed, a smile playing on his lips. "We are definitely going to find a way to fulfill that fantasy tonight."

"Or I can fulfill one of yours?" He asked teasingly, grinning and cocking his head to the side.

"You had me at 'fill one of yours'. Now let's go." Sasuke wrapped an arm around his waist and led him down the sidewalk to where an unoccupied taxi was parked.

As they slid into the back seat and Sasuke told the driver where they wanted to go, Naruto made sure he was pressed up close to Sasuke's side. Because he felt like it, he placed his hand high on Sasuke's thigh. Non-chalantly, he gazed out the window, thankful he was able to catch the expression on Sasuke's face as it changed from surprise to pleasure. He wondered if anyone could ever guess just how much of a romantic Sasuke Uchiha actually was because what Naruto had discovered over the past (almost) four months they'd been dating was that the little things, little gestures of affection, touches... _that's_ what he knew Sasuke secretly liked the most. But, whether or not he'd ever admit it (even to Naruto) seemed highly unlikely. Unconsciously, he squeezed his boyfriend's thigh more tightly. When he let go, it was only to reach for Sasuke's hand.

He felt the blood rushing to his cheeks as he laced their fingers together and watched the traffic fly past the window, content now and excited for the night to come.


	2. Club

The place appeared rather inconspicuous from the outside, well, except for the glowing balls of epileptic light showing through the massive amount of windows. It looked like a warehouse. It was more tall than wide, standing three stories on a corner plot of cross streets located in - as Sasuke had informed him on the way over - Capitol Hill. He supposed this was the San Francisco of Seattle if that even made sense. Apparently, there were three top choices for clubs to go to in this area of the city: The Neighbor, which was more of a bar and The Cuff, a leather bar slash discotheque for "bears". No lie, at first Naruto thought Sasuke was merely teasing him, and as they drove by (and there were all sorts of motorcycles out front) he almost kind of wished they were going there. He wasn't especially into leather, but he did like it in the form of a jacket? However, Sasuke informed him they would be going to R Place.

Jokingly, Naruto asked whether the R didn't stand for a certain part of the lower internal anatomy, but the smack to the back of his head suggested Sasuke didn't think it was nearly as funny as he did. Honestly, it was a culture shock for him. Obviously, it was busy. A Saturday night in a major metropolitan city, but maybe he wasn't prepared for all of the gay couples holding hands and openly kissing. Yeah, he kissed and had sex with a man nearly every day, but seeing this all in person... he couldn't help but stare. The cab dropped them off on the opposite side of the street from the club, so as they got out of it, Sasuke took hold of his hand and led him across. There was a short line leading up to the double doors, but Sasuke bypassed it, instead walking to the heavier man at the entrance who was checking IDs.

"Holy shit, it's you," he said to Sasuke as he stood to greet them.

They exchanged a hug (a rare sight for Naruto, by the way).

"What's it been... three, four years since you've shown your face around here?"

"Something like that," Sasuke answered.

"And," the man scrutinized Naruto curiously, "You brought a... friend?"

"Jirōbō, this is Naruto... Naruto this is a friend of mine from when I was a punk teenager. He used to give me a ride sometimes when I stayed out late harassing the local musicians."

"Harassing?" Jirōbō gave a deep laugh. "I think most of them were fond of you. I hear you're some music bigwig now. You were in New York?"

"I transferred to Chicago," Sasuke explained, and, sparing a glance and smile at Naruto, squeezed his hand. "Now I'm harassing this guy."

"I see." Jirōbō eyed them both with an appreciative grin. "I take it you're in town for Itachi's trial? I've been seein' a few of his old friends around lately. I'm sure he'll be glad to have you home again. Give 'em my best when ya see 'em. Naruto," he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, and it was a very strong grip. "Make sure you keep an eye on your boy here once you get in."

"Well, I did make sure to pack that leather leash I usually use to keep him from straying too far," Naruto replied, making the bigger man laugh.

"He's funny, huh?" Jirōbō gestured at Naruto with his thumb and opened the heavy doors for them. "Have fun, kids. Good to see ya, Sasuke."

Sasuke led him in by the hand through the entrance. Loud, thumping music assaulted his ears. The dance floor was already packed, and there was a DJ on an L-shaped stage where there appeared to be a stripper pole. A few women were out on the floor, but it was definitely mostly men. Ages ranged from 18 to mid-30s if he had to guess. Before he even noticed, Sasuke already had paid their way in, and he was taking Naruto's coat from him to be checked into the nearby cloakroom. A few more scantily clad men were dancing on the stage, but it looked as though they worked there considering they were dressed in matching silvery short-shorts and cropped white t-shirts with R Place written in black letters on the back.

It wasn't anything too crazy, just a normal night club, but the majority of the patrons happened to be male. The music was of the same variety he was used to (currently Katy Perry's "E.T."), so clearly Sasuke was in _his_ comfort zone. A lot of guys were dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts. There were men staked out at the bar, which was backlit with LED lights - purple, blue, yellow, orange, pink. A row of martini glasses lined the very top shelf with another string of beaded fluorescent lights behind them, making them shine a pale blue. By the time Sasuke returned to his side, he didn't even know where to look. Talk about an assault to the senses, and how long had it been since he'd been to a proper dance club? Maybe with the ex?

This experience would prove to be a complete adventure, that's for sure. Although, something told him tonight would be fun. It was the only day where they both would be able to relax a little and not think about the trial and all the things that could go wrong.

"Drink?" Sasuke asked near his ear, sliding up against him. He nodded, and Sasuke guided them through the crowd, walking alongside the dance floor and heading to the least crowded corner of the bar.

Not that he hadn't been expecting this, but they (or, Sasuke rather) was already causing a lot of heads to turn. He couldn't tell if it was because they actually knew Sasuke or he was just that hot... yeah, he could surmise the answer to that one. Maybe this is what that Jirōbō guy had meant. It wasn't Sasuke that he had to worry about but all these homosexual vultures eyeing his boyfriend like a slab of sexy meat in tight jeans.

"What are you glaring at?" Sasuke asked as he waved the bartender over. No surprise that the bartender approached him almost immediately, which meant Naruto didn't have to answer the question.

Suddenly, he noticed Sasuke slipping an arm around his waist, and after glancing at him curiously, found the other man smirking, an elbow propped on the bar top. Is this what it felt like to be a male lion guarding his pride of females? Damn.

When he finished glaring at the bartender for smiling and batting his eyelashes at Sasuke five thousand times, he was handed a drink, and, while taking a sip, Naruto was surprised (and pleased) to discover it was vodka and Red Bull. Usually Sasuke made fun of him for drinking it, but it was kind of a habit from his college days. He didn't drink it all night. It was more of a starter drink. Sasuke had something more colorful and... fruity.

The joke was almost out of his mouth when Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Don't even say it," he warned, humor dancing in his eyes. "It was on the house, after all."

"Hey," Naruto frowned. "You're taking free drinks from strange guys?"

"Why? Did you want to pay for them? This is the perk of being in a gay club, Naruto. A free drink is basically like a handshake in this world."

"If a free drink is like a handshake, I hate to ask what an actual handshake would be," Naruto remarked and took a sip of his vodka.

Sasuke replied, head tilted slightly to the side, "Shall I take you to the bathroom for a demonstration?"

"I might have to get in line. Do you know how many people have had their eye on you already?"

"Jealous?"

"No." Naruto pouted.

Clutching his belt, Sasuke moved in and kissed him. If he'd had any thoughts previous to that, he was capable of none now.

"Better?" Sasuke asked as they parted, licking his lips.

"Huh?"

Sasuke chuckled. "You think no one's looking at you? I've always said you give off serious straight vibes so you kissing me in front of everyone probably just made you even more desirable."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Because I'd be a challenge?"

"No," said Sasuke, squeezing a couple of fingers inside his belt loop. "Because you look like you'd be a fucking great lay."

He started to grin crookedly and, embarrassed, scratched at the back of his head. "Yep... I think I'm ready for that handshake now."

Sasuke laughed, drawing his body even closer in to Naruto's.

"Are you... marking your territory, Sasuke?" He leaned in, too, brushing his lips against Sasuke's cheek, wanting him even closer. It was funny, how easy it was to forget they were in public when they'd never been able to be so openly affectionate like this before. And no one fucking cared. In fact, there were couples just like them. Everywhere.

Content, he sighed into Sasuke's ear as a louder song than before started, heavy with a dark, sexy beat. Sasuke's fingers slipped inside the waistband of his jeans, pulling him forward until Sasuke's back hit the wall. Taking another large sip of his drink - which left it empty - Naruto set it on the bar and took hold of Sasuke on both sides of his waist. He pressed against him while Sasuke put an arm around his shoulders and allowed Naruto to kiss at his neck. After a few more kisses, Naruto began to drag his tongue along the side of Sasuke's throat until he was nipping playfully at his boyfriend's jaw. When Sasuke's other hand started sneaking up his shirt to touch the small of his back, he decided to target Sasuke's lips, tasting rum and pineapple as he proceeded to suck at both.

He drew away, and Sasuke set aside his glass so that he could cup Naruto's cheek, eyeing him with a sensual, cocky smirk. Naruto moved into the gesture, placing his hand on top of Sasuke's.

"You're biting your lip," said Sasuke, gaze narrowed at that very spot.

"Someone once told me that's a sexual signal that I'd want the person I'm with to make a move."

"Do you want me to make a move?"

Letting his hand fall away from Sasuke's, he grinned broadly. "Always."

Sasuke's hands found purchase on his hips and, after spreading his own legs apart, he positioned Naruto to stand between them. He went into Sasuke's arms very willingly as they wrapped around him. His nose brushed Sasuke's ear and, unable to help himself, he tilted his head up to give it a mostly gentle bite. He thrust his hips forward, grinding them into Sasuke's - not very hard but enough that the opportunity to rub against him wasn't missed.

This was good. It was just like when the two of them were alone. All of his senses, though heightened by the alcohol and the sultry bass of the music, felt honed to just this one person. Had there ever been other people? He let his hand travel underneath Sasuke's shirt to touch his stomach, catching the way Sasuke's lips parted, a small gasp escaping and leaving his mouth in the shape of an 'o'. He pressed harder into him, capturing his mouth in a hungry, wanting kiss - bodies rocking together. Maybe in time with the music, maybe not. It was all in the background. There was just his lips molding eagerly to Sasuke's, his fingers working their way up Sasuke's chest until he grazed the pad of his thumb over a nipple. As he pinched it, Sasuke moaned loud and low into their kiss.

They were both breathing heavily when they stopped. Sasuke's skin was hot against the palm of his hand. Naruto eased up, allowing more distance between their bodies. After looking to the side, he placed his hands on Sasuke's shoulders before sliding them down along his arms, to his wrists, which he gripped briefly, and then let go.

As if the gesture had drawn him in, Sasuke pushed away from the wall and brought their bodies into contact again.

"What?" asked Naruto, looking him in the eye. "Not enough?"

"You realize," Sasuke said, and, for an instant, the dancing lights caught in his eyes, and reflected the intensity behind the way he was looking at him, "If you wanted it," he grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt, lips hovering near his ear, "If you asked for it..." Sasuke's hand slid low and brushed across his crotch, "I'd let you bend me over and fuck me in front of all these people."

For a split second, Naruto stopped breathing, the idea ultimately appealing and, surprisingly, the inclination was there. He could do that. He wanted to do that. However, he reminded himself that if anything like that was possibly to happen, he'd need to remember to open his mouth and breathe first.

"Well?" Sasuke asked, intent shining in his eyes.

He cleared his throat, only barely able to come to his senses a bit. "Believe me," he said. "I'm considerin' it."

Genuinely, Sasuke smiled, which made it even harder not to engage in public sex.

"Another drink?" Sasuke suggested, gazing at him coyly.

Bastard probably did all this on purpose. He knew, absolutely knew that even after only a few months, Sasuke was well aware of how to rile him. He was totally wrapped around this man's finger.

"Yeah." He settled his hand at Sasuke's waist, giving a glance to the bar, surprised when it seemed most of the people sitting there seemed to be watching. "That's great. I guess we have an audience. You sure you're not an exhibitionist, Sasuke?"

"I didn't think so." Sasuke smirked. "At least until I started dating you."

* * *

><p>A little later, he was waiting at the table alone, an empty rack of tasty shots that had come in plastic test tubes sitting in front of him. Naruto was waiting for Sasuke to come back from the bar after he'd returned for the third or so time to get them drinks. Really, were they all free?<p>

With his elbows propped on the table, he kept a wary watch on the dance floor. He was still in the process of working up the courage to go out. The club had become even more crowded in the last 30 minutes. After the wine at dinner and the few drinks they'd had here already, he might just give it a try if Sasuke asked.

Odd thing, though. There was a guy leaning against the wall next to the stairs that led to the second floor, and he'd been staring at Naruto for the past few minutes. He only happened to catch him at it because the dude was being completely obvious. Of course, as soon as they made eye contact, the other man - slim build, pale, with short dark hair - took it as an invitation to walk over to the table. He either didn't notice or didn't care that there were more glasses spread around the table than one person would probably be drinking.

"Hey," he said, standing so inappropriately close to Naruto's chair that he was nearly in his lap. "I haven't seen you before."

"It's my first time," he answered as politely as he could manage and then nearly wanted to slap himself in the forehead. "I mean. I've never been to Seattle."

The man smirked, tucking a hand inside his pocket. "No? Figures. I probably would've remembered you."

The way he said it didn't particularly sound like it was meant to flatter, maybe more like an accusation at best. Naruto's gaze flicked to the bar, but it was so packed over there that he couldn't pick Sasuke out of the crowd. When he'd said nothing further, the other man decided to sit on the edge of the table.

"You don't dance?" he asked Naruto.

"Uh, I'm workin' up to it." He gestured toward the glasses.

"If you're nervous, I'll take you. You can't be that bad, and even if you are, you're too good looking for anyone to tell you otherwise."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, unsure if that was a compliment or not. "I'm good, thanks. I'm actually waitin' for my boyfriend if you don't mind."

He either didn't believe Naruto, or the knowledge of him having a boyfriend was far from discouraging. Instead, he leaned even closer, his arm brushing against Naruto's where he'd been resting it on the table.

"Really," he said, tone of voice making it clear now that he didn't believe him. "Boyfriend?"

"Really," replied Naruto, trying to keep cool. It's not like he wanted to start any trouble. "Boyfriend. But, thanks anyway."

Arrogant or mentally challenged, Naruto wasn't sure, but the stranger actually shifted even closer and was about to attempt touching him on the cheek when he put his arm up and shoved it away.

"I'm bein' polite here," he said firmly. "So you better back off before he gets back. He won't be nearly as nice as me."

Not that it reflected much in his face that he was being rejected, the man very coolly retracted his hand, stood up, shrugged, and walked away. Naruto watched his back as he went over to the dance floor and disappeared amongst the gyrating bodies and bright, alternating lights. While he'd been staring that way, someone touched his arm, and he snapped his gaze to his left. Sasuke was standing there, holding out his drink.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "I can't tell if your timing's good or bad."

Sasuke's eyebrow arched. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "Nothin'."

Sasuke re-took his seat, although he dragged it nearer to Naruto's. "Okay, I'll let you have one more, and then we're going."

"Going?"

"Dancing," said Sasuke while settling his hand on Naruto's thigh. "The reason why we're here?"

"What if I suck?" he asked, sipping at his potent drink a little faster.

"You won't." Sasuke smiled one of those rare, disarming smiles that always ended in him getting his way. "Plus, I'm an excellent teacher."

"I don't suppose I can just get away with rubbin' against you from behind like I have in all the other clubs I've gone to?"

"If it'll get you to dance," said Sasuke, "I'm not entirely opposed."

"Sasuke. I dunno if I've ever told you this, but you're kinda easy."

Sasuke squeezed his thigh for that one. "Should I play hard to get?" Even though it was dark, he could still see a flush on his cheeks from all of the alcohol. "I'll go ahead and start, and when you're ready, you can come find me? I'm sure I can convince someone to dance with me in the meantime."

Uh, no. That wouldn't be happening. Naruto narrowed his eyes, picked up his drink, and swallowed it in a hurry. Then he stole Sasuke's, drank it all, and slapped the glass down on the table. Snagging his wrist, he pulled him up and, with determination, started walking to the dance floor. Besides, it was a great excuse to rub up on his boyfriend in public and let it be known that he didn't have eyes for anyone else but him. The alcohol he'd consumed helped considerably, so, mustering as much swagger as he could in the face of someone who would ultimately prove to be a better dancer than him, Naruto dragged Sasuke toward the center.

Unfortunately, that's as far as he got when the song came to an end. They were face to face, and Sasuke was taunting him by not being of any help at all. Except, when the new song came on (and there'd barely been a gap between this and the previous), Sasuke took pity on him by making the first move. He put an arm around Naruto's neck, leaned in, and spoke loudly into his ear.

"Just relax. Move with me."

Sasuke positioned a hand on his hip, and they began rocking together with the beat. When the tempo became faster, Sasuke picked up the rhythm easily, and Naruto simply followed his lead. While their bodies remained pressed tight, Naruto lowered his head to kiss and suck Sasuke's neck, tasting the sweat from off his skin. Sasuke moved his hand from Naruto's hip to the lower part of his back in order to start pushing his shirt upward. Starting to feel like he was getting into it, Naruto dragged his hands along his boyfriend's sides, and Sasuke let his head fall back, which allowed Naruto a chance to run his tongue along the curve of his collarbone.

He was surprised when he suddenly got turned around thanks to some crazy martial art's technique Sasuke used. It stunned him for a few seconds, and he found himself with his backside pressed up against Sasuke's crotch. His boyfriend slipped a hand under his shirt, hot palm pressing flat to Naruto's stomach - just barely above his belt - while a teasing tongue slid up the back of his neck. He tugged at the collar of Naruto's shirt and bit his shoulder. The hand on his right hip gripped him tighter, possessively, and pulled him harder against the forward thrusts of his hips. Naruto felt perspiration breaking out on his skin, and for the first time, he glanced at the people surrounding them. Every once in a while, he could see gazes flicking their way, but for the most part, everyone else was doing their own thing. He pressed back harder against Sasuke and received another long, sensual lick up the side of his neck until his boyfriend turned his attention to Naruto's earlobe, which he took between his teeth. The fingers near his belt started to sneak lower, beneath the waistband of his jeans, and as Sasuke wrapped an arm around his chest, he used his other hand to gently cup him and rub.

Teeth bit into his shoulder again, causing his eyelids to slip shut. As was typical when Sasuke was the one making the moves, Naruto just let it happen. With Sasuke, even if he took the lead, it was never,_er_, threatening to his masculinity. He'd learned that much after only a few times of being on the receiving end during sex. Not to mention, there was something very pleasurable about being the object of Sasuke's sexual attentions and affections. Knowing that Sasuke wanted him... what could he say? It made his ego and arousal inflate, and, if at any point he was in the mood to switch it up, he knew Sasuke would feel the same way about being on the receiving end of his attentions.

But, at the moment, since Sasuke was very much in the mood to do what he wanted to do, Naruto felt very happy and eager to give him anything and everything he wanted. Plus, this was Sasuke's home turf, and it wasn't Naruto who had to keep other men away from his boyfriend. It was Sasuke that, whether unconscious or not, seemed to want to make sure that he be the one laying claim.

Nails dragged harshly up his stomach, recapturing his attention when it caused his shirt to lift higher and expose more of his stomach. Sasuke tongued that sensitive spot behind his ear, and Naruto forgot about playing it passive. He turned around in his arms, took hold of his boyfriend's face, and kissed him passionately. While they kissed, he couldn't even tell if they were standing still or going around in circles. All he knew was Sasuke's mouth and tongue and what felt to be a bulge in the front of Sasuke's jeans. Naruto slipped a hand between their bodies to rub a palm against his cock. With just the first squeeze, Sasuke gasped and let his head fall to Naruto's shoulder.

Teasingly, Sasuke's lips fluttered across the side of his neck, and, digging his teeth into his bottom lip, Naruto gave him another firm grope before putting distance between them. If he didn't, they'd soon be going at it right on the dance floor. He offered an apologetic smile when Sasuke gave him an inquiring look (more like: And you stopped, why?).

Every time Sasuke attempted to get closer, to touch him, Naruto playfully pushed him away. When he finally allowed Sasuke to put his arms around his neck again, the vibe between them (gratefully) became a little less sexually charged, which was good because he didn't want to spend the rest of the night in soiled pants. Instead, he let Naruto dance around like an idiot - waving his hands in the air, and even giving Sasuke a twirl or two. Then, for one song, he learned just how genuinely amazing a dancer Sasuke could be. Naruto barely did anything as Sasuke put his hands on him, moved, jerked, and spun him around. People were... actually watching them. Every gesture or touch of Sasuke's hands was brief and light, only meant to guide Naruto to where he needed to go, enabling him to keep up.

Afterward, he needed to make his first trip to the restroom, so he mouthed 'bathroom' to Sasuke, and they managed to find their way to the edge of the dance floor. Sasuke said he was going to get another couple of drinks. A smack to his ass sent him off in the direction of the toilets. There was a line outside of the door, but it wasn't very long.

The two guys in front of him were making out, and he was still buzzed enough that he didn't have a problem watching them, half-curious about the techniques other guys used on each other. One of them (who kind of resembled Kiba) eventually glanced his way, and then the other did, too. Not having much self-awareness, he merely smiled at them. They smiled back, one of the guys even laughing, but then the door opened, and the three of them were able to get inside the actual bathroom. There were four stalls, all of which were occupied, and four urinals (also occupied). Although what caught his interest was the person using the urinal at the far end. He squinted. Peeing standing up but... long hair, wearing a tight, black halter dress, and there did seem to be... breasts.

The urinal beside this person became available, and Naruto went to stand in front of it. As he was undoing his belt, they both happened to glance at each other at the same time.

"Hi," he said, smiling crookedly. "Like your dress." Yes, okay. Now he could see this was a man. Maybe? God, she was really pretty, too. Her hair was styled up in a French twist, and she was dripping in sparkling jewelry. But... with a penis. Did he mention this yet? It was both perplexing and wonderful.

With a little makeup and the right clothing, could Sasuke look like that? Wait, what the hell was he thinking now?

"Is this your first time seeing a man in a dress?" she asked.

Naruto blinked at the question. "At the urinal, yeah. Sorry for starin'."

"You think I mind an attractive and sexy blond checking me out?" She laughed. "Are you having a good night, honey?"

Remembering what he came in here to do, Naruto began the process of relieving himself just as his friend started to tuck his bits away, which also offered anyone who cared to see a clear shot of the purple panties he wore.

"Um, yeah. I... wasn't sure if I would, but it's been fun."

"Are you..." She stepped behind him so someone else could take the urinal, "Here with a group?"

He frowned. "No, I'm not here with a group."

"You're...here by yourself then?"

Finished, Naruto zipped his jeans, buckled his belt, and led them over to the sinks. "Oh no, I'm not alone," he explained.

"I don't hope I offend you when I ask... are you... straight?"

Naruto had to think a moment why that would be offensive, but then he remembered what Sasuke said earlier about his so-called straight vibes. What was it about the way he acted or spoke that made him not seem gay?

Rather than go into a convoluted explanation, he simply said, "I'm here with my boyfriend."

"Oh." She looked disappointed by his answer, but laughed anyway. "I shouldn't be surprised. That you have a boyfriend, I mean. You're too hot to be single." Lightly, she touched Naruto's arm and flashed a rather flirtatious smile. He didn't think he'd ever seen teeth so white and perfect.

"It's probably my fault for checking out your," he gestured, "Stuff."

"You can make it up to me." She started playing with her necklace.

"How can I make it up to you? Should I buy you a drink?"

"Well, that's an option, too, but... I'm curious to see what kind of man was able to grab your attention."

"Ah." Naruto placed a hand on his new friend's back as they left the restroom. In the hallway, there was a much bigger line for the restroom than before. "You want to meet my boyfriend?"

"Is that okay? By the way, since you offered, I'll have a Sex on the Beach."

"Of course you will." He smiled. "Sure. I'll introduce you. He should be out there somewhere."

While continuing to chat, they walked toward the tables, where he supposed Sasuke would be waiting for him, and it didn't take very long before they found him. Taking his friend by the arm, he pulled her closer to ask for a name.

"Diana," she said. "You know. Like the princess?"

Chuckling, he nodded and initiated the introductions.

"Sasuke," he said. "This is my friend I made in the bathroom. Diana. Diana, this is my boyfriend, Sasuke."

"Hello," Sasuke greeted her politely and shook Diana's hand.

"Makes sense," Diana commented to Naruto. "You've got great taste. Is that something you can vouch for, as well, Sasuke?"

Naruto snickered at the look on Sasuke's face and invited Diana to sit down while he went to the bar.

"I'm sure he can tell you all about it while I get your drink," he said, feeling comfortable with leaving them alone. Diana was extremely likable, and he knew Sasuke well enough to perceive that, from his reactions so far, he liked her, too. Or was at least amused.

It was hard to find a spot at the bar where he could order, but he managed to squeeze in and, while waiting for the drink, made small talk with a shirtless Asian man standing to his right. Amicably they parted, and Naruto returned to the table, sliding Diana's drink toward her and another toward Sasuke even though he still had the one he'd just bought. They seemed content with their conversation, so Naruto simply listened while drinking a beer. They were talking about people and places in Seattle that Naruto couldn't comment on and apparently they shared some mutual friends.

Eventually, Diana turned her inquisitive side on him, so he was asked how he'd met Sasuke, what it was like to live in Chicago, this and that. It was kind of nice, really. The three of them joked and talked for a while longer until Diana suggested they meet up with her friends on the dance floor. After another few shots brought to them by one of the men in short-shorts, that sounded like an amazing idea.

Sasuke held onto his hand as they returned to the dance floor, following behind Diana as she led the way, the crowd parting for her like she owned the place. She was rather tall, though it was probably those 4-inch red pumps she wore. They found her friends (also dressed to impress) and an attempt at introductions was made, but it was incredibly loud. The three of them danced a lot together, which turned out to be pretty fucking fun and hilarious. Even Sasuke was laughing, and he was a good sport when Naruto did a bit of dirty dancing with Diana. She did seem to really appreciate it when they offered her the middle. Sasuke took the back, he took the front, and they were close enough that he could feel Diana's breasts against his chest. It also meant that he could grab a hold of Sasuke's hip every once in a while. He didn't like not being able to touch him at all times, especially when another man was sandwiched between them.

After another five songs, Diana abandoned them to re-join her friends, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to grind up on each other since they were both fucking hammered. As he and Sasuke were going at it face-to-face, someone came up behind him and thought it would be hilarious to rip his shirt off. Not that he cared, and judging by the way Sasuke pressed up against him and started pawing at his chest and running his hands all over - he didn't seem to mind? He turned in Naruto's arms (there was a very raunchy rap song playing) and rubbed his ass up on his crotch, which was highly amusing as well as painfully arousing. Sasuke leaned back into him and put an arm around his neck. They were sharing a few kisses over Sasuke's shoulder when he felt his boyfriend grab for his hand and start to guide it into his pants. Using his shirt to cover up what his hand was doing, he wrapped his fingers around Sasuke's cock and slid the pad of his thumb across the tip. Growling against his mouth, Sasuke bit his bottom lip, to the point it started to really sting.

Naruto gave him a squeeze and another firm stroke before Sasuke's teeth let up on him. He smirked at Naruto, pulled his hand out, and, without an explanation, started to drag him away. All he could do was stumble in a lust-filled stupor behind him. They left the dance floor, and as Naruto put his shirt back on, Sasuke got their coats from the cloakroom. He was finally able to ask what was going on.

"We're going to fulfill your fantasy," Sasuke answered, slipping on his jacket and not waiting for Naruto's reply.

He followed after as they exited the club. Sasuke took his hand, directing him around the corner of the building and down an alley, where after they'd passed a couple of Dumpsters, his boyfriend shoved him against the brick wall and started kissing him. The near violence of it caught him off guard at first, but then their hands were touching each other everywhere. Because of the alcohol and adrenaline, it all escalated rapidly. Naruto switched their positions and forced Sasuke to face the wall. He undid Sasuke's jeans and worked his hand inside, the belt buckle clanging against the brick as he proceeded to jerk him off.

"Pull them down," Sasuke growled at him.

"Sasuke," he breathed, squeezing the hard cock in his hand. "You sure?"

"I said I'd let you bend me over, didn't I?"

"Shit." In a flurry of movement, he pulled Sasuke's pants down and undid his own. Sasuke braced himself against the wall as Naruto positioned the tip and started to push forward. He groaned, loudly, as the tightness surrounded him.

It was dark in the alley, the traffic from the street drowning out the noises they made. He swept Sasuke's hair to the side so that he could kiss and bite at the back of his neck while he began to fuck him.

"I can't believe we're doing this," he said, starting to thrust faster.

"I've been wanting to all night," Sasuke grunted.

They'd only been going at it maybe five minutes when Naruto heard a scuffling noise, and glancing toward the street, which is where it had come from, he saw a dark figure standing next to one of the Dumpsters. Having never been caught in this particular situation and with reflexes dulled by sex and alcohol... he didn't immediately move to act.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke was panting loudly.

"Sasuke... there's someone watching us."

"What - ?"

Then the figure actually spoke, "I'll take it this is your boyfriend?" He had the audacity to walk toward them, and Naruto caught a glimpse of his familiar profile. "I've been watching you all night, and I can tell you you're taking a risk fucking that guy. Sasuke Uchiha. I see you're still up to your same old - "

And that's as far as he got before Naruto was on him, throwing him against the brick, and jamming his forearm into this asshole's throat.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?" Naruto spat in his face, pushing even harder on him until the jackass had to grab and struggle against his hold in order to breathe.

"I thought you were putting on a show for anyone to see," he said, "This is a public alley, you know."

"Are you some kind of a pervert?" Naruto shouted angrily.

"Are you? Besides," he smirked at Naruto. "I was really enjoying watching you, but your taste in men is terrible."

"Why, you piece of - "

"Naruto," Sasuke called calmly from behind him. "Forget about it. He's not worth it."

Naruto didn't want to forget about it at all. "Do you know this dickhead, Sasuke?"

"Doesn't matter." He reached around Naruto, "But at least buckle up your pants first."

Naruto didn't know what he was talking about until the psycho in front of him glanced down and then up again.

"Yeah, Naruto," he said patronizingly, "Put that away before I catch something."

Instantly, Naruto pulled his arm back and was set to punch the dark-haired man in the face and knock his teeth all over the ground, but Sasuke grabbed his wrist before he could do it.

"I said he's not worth it." Sasuke gave him a yank and dragged him away.

Naruto struggled anyway. "Fuckin' let me go, Sasuke, so I can beat the shit out of him!"

He gave Naruto another push forward and put an arm around his shoulders, leading him out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. Naruto was still glaring over his shoulder.

"Motherfucker," Naruto cursed, causing people in the line for the club to look their way. He was so pissed off and half-tempted to go back, but Sasuke kept a tight grip on his arm. He was trying to calm Naruto, but he couldn't really process what his boyfriend was actually saying to him.

When they were a few blocks away from the club, he did seem to calm somewhat (but not much). They were waiting by the street corner. There was some space between them since Naruto was busy glaring at the traffic, hands stuck deep in his pockets. The sound of Sasuke's laughter snapped him out of it. He glanced at him curiously.

"What's so funny?" he growled.

Sasuke smirked. "Nothing."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You think this is funny?"

"I do." Sasuke took a step closer and touched his arm. "Especially the part where you forgot to pull your pants up."

Naruto shifted away from his touch; Sasuke placed his hands inside his coat pockets and shrugged.

"It's not a big deal."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You knew that guy?"

"Just a kid I went to high school with, he's nobody."

"You've never slept with him?" If he hadn't been so pissed off, he wouldn't have asked that, but he couldn't help it.

Sasuke studied him intently, obviously offended. "No, Naruto. I haven't slept with all the men in Seattle."

Naruto opened his mouth to retort, but realizing that it wasn't Sasuke he was angry with, he simply shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean that. I just..." He sighed. "He came up to me earlier in the night when you were at the bar and was hittin' on me. He was really fuckin' weird and tried to touch me."

Sasuke frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't that big of a deal. I forgot about it, I guess."

Sasuke came over to him and pulled him into a hug. He kissed Naruto on the cheek. "It's a shame. I was really close."

Naruto smiled. "So was I."

Sasuke kissed him long and hard on the lips, palms of his hands pressed to Naruto's cheeks; he put his arms around his boyfriend's waist.

"Welcome to Seattle," Sasuke said sarcastically when they stopped kissing, and, playfully, he pulled Naruto's hood up over his head. "Having fun so far?"

Naruto grabbed onto the lapel of Sasuke's jacket. "Loads," he deadpanned.

"Speaking of loads," said Sasuke, which made him laugh.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go back to the hotel before you get into any more fights over me."

He sighed. "That might be a good idea. I woulda busted his face in had you not stopped me."

"Do you think I want my brother and my boyfriend in jail?"

"Sorry..." The apology slipped from his lips. "I wasn't even thinkin' - "

"It's fine. I thought what you did was... very sexy."

Naruto grinned. "Did it turn you on?"

Sasuke smiled slyly at him. "I was already turned on to begin with if you remember."

"Oh, I remember," he said. "Wanna pick up where we left off when we get back?"

"We'll see." Sasuke left his side and went to hail a cab.

It didn't take very long. They got into the back seat, both immediately moving to hold hands. Naruto was looking out his window, smiling.

"Going out with you is fun," he remarked. "I wish I would've known you when you were 18 like that Jirōbō guy. I bet you got into all kinds of shit."

"What makes you think that?"

He glanced at Sasuke. "Do I really have to explain?"

Sasuke chuckled, but then his expression became more serious. "It does piss me off that he was checking out your penis."

"What can I say? It is pretty impressive. If he'd touched me, would you have beaten him up?" Naruto joked.

"That's not even funny," Sasuke replied darkly.

"You're so sexy when you get possessive, Sasuke. Makes me feel wanted."

The predatory way Sasuke abruptly looked at him stirred up some interesting feelings even though he'd been kidding. The sexual tension between them crackled dangerously, and, for a second, he thought they might try to go at it in the backseat of this cab.

"Maybe when we get back to the hotel room," Sasuke said in a very low and gruff voice, "I'll have to let you know just how I feel about that statement."

Naruto realized he was biting into his bottom lip already. Sasuke saw it and smirked.

"Who's the easy one now?" he asked.

"It's not my fault you're so fuckin' sexy all the time that I can't even control myself around you."

"Hn."

"Bastard," he said and hurriedly glanced out the window since every time he looked at Sasuke, he wanted to jump his bones.

Sasuke, however, slid up against his side. "Tomorrow," he said into Naruto's ear, "We're going to share my old bed. The one I grew up in, and do you know what I'm going to do?"

Slowly, Naruto turned to him, drawn in by his voice, and brought their mouths close together. "What?"

Purposefully, Sasuke moved his hand to the inside of Naruto's thigh and groped him. "I'll _fuck_ you, of course, Naruto. My bed, my sheets. I'm going to fuck you so hard you're going to understand why I'd crush anyone who tried to touch you or take you for themselves."

Naruto inhaled sharply. "...Sasuke."

"Tonight, though, I'll let you finish what we started."

"Thank God," Naruto let out.

Sasuke gazed at him smugly. "Tell me something good."

Naruto leaned over, kissed him, and then leaned back. "I really, _really_ fuckin' love you, Sasuke Uchiha."


	3. Meeting Itachi

The left eye definitely cracked open before the right, but at least someone had the sense to draw the curtains last night, so the room was blissfully dark. But why the hell was it so damn cold in here? He vaguely remembered Sasuke complaining about it being hot and must've turned on the air to frigid temperatures. Speaking of which, his boyfriend lay completely passed out beside him. Usually Sasuke was such a light sleeper that if Naruto so much as breathed funny, he would wake instantly. Then again, from the bits he remembered, he could understand why Sasuke would be worn out. Naruto smirked to himself at why that would be even though using any facial muscles at all reminded him HOLY MOTHER FUCKING HELL GIANT HEADACHE.

After lying there a minute or two in moderate pain, he tugged at the comforter, but Sasuke was hogging it, rolled up in it like a burrito. He decided to sit up. There were lots of aching muscles, but he couldn't determine whether it was all the dancing or the rigorous, drunken sex.

Glancing at the digital clock, it read 9.45 A.M. Checkout was noon, he thought. As quietly as he could manage, he got out of bed and headed into the bathroom, where he relieved himself and turned on the shower. He spotted Sasuke's toiletry bag and rummaged through it in search of some pain killers. Finding the bottle of Tylenol, he swallowed a couple of tablets and put it back in the bag. Naruto gazed at himself in the mirror. Were those... scratch marks on his chest?

"Jeez, Sasuke," he said, smiling as he ran his finger along one of the red marks.

Once he finished admiring all of the love bites Sasuke imprinted on him last night, he stepped into the shower, immediately groaning as the spray of hot water hit his sore, naked body. Standing proved to be too much of an effort, though, so he sat down in the tub and leaned his head against the tiles. He started thinking about the club last night. How much he really enjoyed it, and how he hoped that when they returned to Illinois, they could go up to Chicago some time and do it again. He also wondered if from now on, maybe they could be more openly affectionate in public situations. He wasn't even sure anymore why he thought they couldn't be? But, it reminded him of when he'd gone to the wedding with Hinata. Being in that church, hearing that stuff being read, it'd made him really uncomfortable.

He sighed. That was too much heavy thinking for someone with a hangover. After a cup of coffee and a bite to eat, he should start to feel normal again. He didn't want to meet Sasuke's brother and leave him with a bad first impression. Crap. Thinking about Itachi was making him nervous. Would they get along? Would he hate Naruto?

What about Sasuke? Last night he'd been in an extremely good mood, and he certainly hadn't seemed any different than usual during sex (it had been fantastic, thanks for asking). Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he'd originally thought? He'd half expected Sasuke to immediately push him away and become withdrawn. Then again, they were still at the hotel, and the trial - even though only a few days away - somehow felt far off and surreal. It'd always remained in the back of his mind since Sasuke explained the situation on the night of their first date, and he'd been witness to many long phone conversations between him and his brother. He wanted to remain supportive regardless of everything, and he would still do that, but he also wanted to be prepared for the worst.

While he was lying there thinking about life, he heard the door open, and, wearing a pair of rumpled flannel pajama pants that were probably his, Sasuke squinted at him through the gap between the wall and the shower curtain.

"Hey," said Naruto. "Did you get a little hot last night? It felt like a freezer in there."

Sasuke, not being much of a morning person, simply glared and then scuffled over to use the toilet. By the sound of it, he'd really been holding it in, too. He flushed, ran the sink, and then returned to the gap in the curtain.

"You look comfortable down there," he remarked to Naruto.

"Wanna join me?"

Sasuke looked him over. "What's wrong with your chest?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

Sasuke smirked.

"Checkout is at noon, right?" He asked.

"Yes, but I need to pick up the rental car."

"We can check out, and I can go with you?"

"It's fine. I'll start some coffee and take a shower when you get out."

Naruto frowned. "Why not take one with me? I can help you clean all those hard to reach places."

"I think you helped me enough with that last night," Sasuke replied, but he did lean over to pat Naruto on the head. "Don't use all the hot water."

He left Naruto alone, which was kind of strange, but maybe he simply wanted time to himself. Naruto could understand that, and it wasn't really a big deal in the scheme of things. Since he figured Sasuke was in a hurry to pick up the car, Naruto got to his feet, washed himself quickly and without much enthusiasm, and was ready to get out after five minutes.

Not wanting to fall on his face, he placed one of the smaller towels on the floor next to the tub, and spotting the white, fluffy robe hanging on the back of the door, he dressed in that.

As he walked into their room, the smell of brewing coffee caught his attention. Sasuke was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking on his cell phone to - after catching only a few words - Itachi, it sounded like. Since Sasuke seemed otherwise preoccupied, Naruto returned to the bathroom to brush his teeth and rinse his mouth with a travel-sized bottle of Listerine hiding (again) in Sasuke's bag. Naruto was lucky to remember to bring his cheap old orange tooth brush.

Hoping that he'd given Sasuke enough privacy for his phone call, he went out again, but Sasuke didn't appear to be in the best of moods now, so he kept an eye on him as he rummaged through his suitcase.

"Something happen?" Naruto asked tentatively.

"Everything's fine," replied Sasuke. "Are you done in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, I'm done."

Carrying a pile of clothes, Sasuke walked past him without saying anything else, slamming the bathroom door behind him.

"Great," Naruto muttered. "I really like when we communicate."

In the meantime, he poured himself a mug of coffee and had one or two sips before he started rooting around in his suitcase again for something to wear. He pulled out a pair of nicer jeans and a t-shirt to wear under a long-sleeved gray shirt with blue sleeves. It took a while to find his belt. In fact, where had he thrown his clothes from last night?

After searching around, he eventually found them behind the chair next to the window. He slid the belt out of the jeans he wore last night and into the ones for today, which caused him to have a flashback of pinning that weirdo Sasuke'd gone to high school with against the wall. Who did that? It seemed like the stuff out of movies: some pervert sitting around and watching strangers have sex with each other? That might be the last time they'd have public sex for a while, sheesh! By the time Naruto found some socks that matched, Sasuke was already dressed when he walked out of the bathroom. His hair was wet, and he didn't have much to say to Naruto, who quietly observed him while his boyfriend laced his boots and grabbed his wallet from off of the entertainment center. The hangers banged together as Sasuke yanked his jacket from out of the closet.

"Are you even going to say goodbye?" Naruto asked when he looked as though he was headed for the door.

After a pause, Sasuke turned around and walked toward him while Naruto sat on the foot of the bed, slouched with his elbows on his knees. He was playing with the cuff of his shirt sleeve as Sasuke came to stand in front of him.

"An issue came up with the prosecution. Apparently they've discovered some kind of evidence they're only submitting now. Our lawyer just called. He's at the courthouse with the judge and the prosecuting attorney. I'll have to go there tomorrow to speak with him."

Naruto nodded, grabbing for Sasuke's wrist. "You okay?"

"I've been better."

"Would you like me to go get the car and you stay here?"

"No offense, but I think it'll take less time if I do it."

Naruto tried to refrain from making a face. "Makes sense. No offense taken."

"Would you mind packing the suitcases and bringing them down to the lobby when you're finished? I shouldn't be more than an hour. I'll let them know we're checking out."

He let go of his boyfriend's wrist. "Sure. No problem. Wait a sec, though."

Naruto stood up, went to dig a stocking cap out of his suitcase, and brought it over to Sasuke. "Wear this at least. It looks cold out, and your hair's still wet." When Sasuke didn't look as though he was apt to take it, Naruto pulled it on over his head for him. "No reason for you to have to catch a cold."

Sasuke stared but remained silent. Naruto sat back down on the bed.

"I'll make sure everything's packed, don't worry. Just text me when you leave the place." He glanced up to find Sasuke was still staring at him oddly. "Somethin' else I can do?"

"No..." Sasuke appeared to snap out of his thoughts. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Okay." Naruto waved, but Sasuke was already turning his back on him. He opened the door and, when it shut, it was with an obnoxiously loud metal clang.

Numbly, he stared at the door a while before looking down into his lap, at his hands, and then he gave a sigh. Was it starting already? Was there really nothing he could do for Sasuke? Well, at least there was one thing.

Forgetting his coffee, Naruto began folding away all of his clothes. He went inside the bathroom to gather their toiletries and packed them into his backpack. Since it didn't take him long, for a little while, he simply sat by the window. He'd pulled the curtains wide open to reveal a day that was rainy and gray. People on the sidewalks were carrying umbrellas. There was a Starbuck's across the street, which led him to give a half-smile. He watched the customers going in and out. Somehow, the whole scene started to become depressing, but he didn't know why.

Closing the curtain, he no longer felt like hanging out in the room, even though there was plenty of time to just sit and chill until Sasuke texted. He tried to tidy up a bit, but that was mostly just gathering the sheets and comforter into the center of the bed. He really hoped that housekeeping did a thorough job with the laundry because, if not, he felt bad for the next people who'd have to sleep on those sheets. He was thankful they'd made a night of it, that's for sure. Despite Sasuke's excitement about them sharing his childhood bed, Naruto had to wonder if he wasn't going to end up on the floor after Sasuke kicked him out of it. That wasn't fair, though. Sasuke had every reason to be upset. He didn't know what kind of evidence the prosecution could have when Itachi was clearly innocent, but that's what lawyers could be like, right? He'd seen the TV shows.

It would be interesting, if Itachi felt open to talking about it, to get his take on it. He knew how Sasuke was taking it (not well), but what about Itachi? Was he worried? Scared? Who did he have to talk to about it? What did he think would happen to him? Wasn't he mad that he was being accused of a crime he didn't commit? To take the blame for his CEO, would that make him crazy, or some kind of martyr?

Either way, Naruto was very curious about Itachi.

But, on that note, Naruto slipped his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed his and Sasuke's suitcases. He rolled them out of the room, making sure to flip over the "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging on the door handle. Maybe after he checked out, he could have them hold onto their luggage while he ran across the street to get a cup of coffee. It might be kind of amusing to get one of those Starbuck's mugs that say Seattle on them. That'd be nice to leave at Sasuke's apartment. While in the elevator it occurred to him that every time he thought about going home, there was a small pang of trepidation in his heart. It made him nervous, but he tried to remain optimistic. Itachi couldn't be found guilty. It just defied how the whole universe should work. Everything would be fine, he was sure. He just wanted Sasuke to think the same. Now all he had to do was figure out how to convince him it'd all be okay. Just like his Mom used to tell him.

"Everything will be okay, Naruto."

Everything will be okay is what people say in these situations, right? Because it had to be. There's no way he'd allow for any other outcome.

Of that, he was very determined.

* * *

><p>The rain continued to beat against the windshield. He'd always heard about the rain in Seattle, but he really hoped it wouldn't be like this the entire week. When Sasuke had returned to the hotel, he'd been in an even worse mood than before due to something that happened at the rental place. Naruto gave up on small talk about five miles ago, but, thankfully, the radio was there to fill the heavy silence. The rental car was alright. It was kind of funny to see Sasuke driving something other than the Prius. He supposed it would've been too much to ask to have rented a really cool SUV, but dating a green freak didn't always allow for those kinds of perks. Instead, they were in a black Chevy Cruze.<p>

Another few miles of silence elapsed, and Naruto couldn't take it anymore.

"So what was the deal with that guy last night?" He looked over at Sasuke.

"There's nothing to say. We went to the same high school."

"Yeah, but was he in your year, was he older, younger? He looked about our age."

"Why are you so curious about a guy who wanted to watch you fuck me?" Sasuke glanced at him briefly.

Naruto frowned. "Just wanted to know if you pissed him off in some way. Can't imagine how that could happen."

Sasuke snorted. "Sarcastic much?"

"Sorry I attempted to start a conversation with you." He went back to staring out the window.

Five minutes passed before Sasuke spoke again. "He was a year older than me. I didn't know him well at all. Some kids in school found out he was gay and did some pretty shitty things. He probably hated me because I dated girls and was popular." Then he smirked. "Now that I think about it, I might've stolen one of his boyfriends. There was a guy in my accounting class, and we went out for drinks one night. Sai showed up, made a big deal about it, and stormed off."

"Sai's his name?" Naruto asked. "And why do you look so pleased with yourself for stealin' some guy's boyfriend?"

"I didn't know they were together. Like I said, he was just some guy in my class. He didn't mention anything to me when he was asking me out."

"So, what? Did they end up breakin' up because of that?"

"My guess would be yes, especially since he let me fuck him that night in his apartment."

Naruto snapped his head around. "Seriously, Sasuke? That's pretty fucked up."

Sasuke merely shrugged. "Everyone involved was a consenting adult. Obviously he wasn't as serious about Sai as Sai was him."

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk like this," Naruto remarked.

"You asked."

He shook his head. "Whatever. Put yourself in his shoes, no wonder he hates your guts. I almost feel bad for nearly beating him up on your behalf."

"It's not like I asked you to do that. Sometimes you let your temper get the best of you."

"Wait, okay." Naruto turned down the volume on the radio. "Are you purposely tryin' to be a dick right now?"

"Why, because I'm not using a filter? I guess I'm not in the mood to sugar coat the situation."

"No kidding," said Naruto. "Sorry I asked."

Needless to say, the rest of the drive wasn't exactly brimming with sparkling conversation and wit. He could deal with Sasuke's mood swings, but if everything that came out of his mouth was going to sound so damn patronizing, he'd rather just be left to his own thoughts. Apparently, Sasuke felt similarly. Really, though, the least he could do was apologize.

Eventually, they took an exit off of the highway. It looked to be a more residential area, kind of similar to the suburbs of Chicago. He sort of wished Sasuke wasn't in such a crabby mood because he'd really like to know more about the area. Secretly, he wanted to see where Sasuke went to high school and college. He knew that his boyfriend had spent at least two years at the University of Washington, taking mostly business-related classes, but, to be honest, Sasuke didn't talk a whole lot about his childhood, especially the time before his parents died. In fact, talking about Sai earlier was maybe the most he'd ever heard about it. Well, that and how he'd lost his virginity while visiting his brother at Stanford.

After a few stoplights, they turned into a gated community. It was clearly upscale, the houses large, probably upward of $500,000 to a million, with each sitting on four or five acres of land. He'd never really thought about it because Sasuke never acted like he came from money. According to his own words, he had even less after paying his brother's bond as well as other legal costs and property taxes for their family home since Itachi's assets remained frozen.

But, it kind of seemed like if that wasn't the case, Sasuke should be... rich? Not to mention he already did really well where he worked now.

Although, it did make sense if he thought about it. Sasuke liked nice things and often spoiled him, but he always figured that's because Sasuke was... gay? Probably not something he was going to say out loud anytime soon.

The street winded a long way through the community. Lawns were nicely manicured, expensive vehicles sat in the driveway behind gates, and the mountains could be seen in the distance from certain angles. They finally pulled up to a gate. It was closed, but Sasuke picked up his phone, punched something into it, and the gate opened, allowing for them to pass through.

"Cool," he murmured as they drove up to the front of Sasuke's house.

Like the others, it was pretty damn big. It was two-stories, but there looked to be a basement, as well. The front of the house was done in muted shades of stone and cedar. The landscaping was immaculate, large stones lined along an upward slope that led to an outdoor porch and front entrance. On the right of the house, was a smaller balcony off one of the rooms on the second story. Between that and what he assumed to be the front door were six large-paneled windows. Two stone columns flanked the porch leading to the door. Above the door were two more large windows that formed an arch. Let's just say he was very much impressed.

Sasuke parked the car, turned it off, and took the keys out of the ignition.

"This is home," he said to Naruto.

"I feel like I should've asked you more questions about how you grew up. I guess I pictured you in something... smaller?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It seems smaller on the inside. Itachi's done a lot of renovations to it, so it doesn't look exactly as it did when we were kids."

"Still. Are you rich and just didn't tell me about it?"

"Not really. It's what our parents left us, but it takes a lot of money to maintain, especially when only one of us has had an income for the last four months."

"Now I feel even worse you paid for my plane ticket and hotel." Naruto unbuckled his seat belt.

Sasuke sighed tiredly, making Naruto regret bringing up the topic at all.

"Pop the trunk, and I'll get out our stuff," he said to Sasuke. "Maybe you should let him know we're here?"

"He knows. He would've seen us from a security monitor inside the house. Visitors have to be tracked anyway."

Sasuke opened the car door, and Naruto followed. He stretched his arms above his head and twisted at the waist. The ride had seemed a lot longer than it actually was. No idea why. He went around to the back of the car and helped his boyfriend remove their suitcases. Just as the trunk slammed shut, the front door to the house opened, and a man with long, dark hair stepped out. It was still sprinkling, so they moved quickly to drag their belongings up the stairs to the porch.

Clearly, this was_ the_ Itachi, and Naruto needed a moment to take him in. He was incredibly good looking. Like, a model. He wore crisp khaki slacks and a striped sweater with a denim shirt underneath it. His hair, which was in a loose ponytail, hung over his left shoulder. He was taller than Sasuke, by at least three or four inches, and if Naruto thought his boyfriend was well-manicured and well-dressed, Itachi was...

Sasuke cleared his throat, and Naruto realized he'd been staring this entire time. Embarrassed, he laughed and let go of the suitcase handle to scratch the back of his neck. Itachi turned to him, his dark eyes so similar to Sasuke's but somehow even sharper. Also, though. Very kind. He immediately - through his aura or whatever he should call it - could tell that Itachi was a good person.

He held out his hand, and instead of introducing himself, he said, with wonder in his voice: "You're Itachi."

Itachi smiled. Not a smirk like Sasuke would do, but a genuine smile. "And you're Naruto. Naruto, excuse me for saying this, but you're very blond."

He heard Sasuke snort, but for some reason, Naruto simply started to grin goofily. They were still holding hands.

"You're not going to ask me if the carpet matches the drapes, are you?" Naruto asked him.

"Jesus, Naruto," admonished Sasuke, but Itachi laughed. It was pleasant. A lot like when he got to hear Sasuke laugh, but it was slightly lower in timbre, his voice also more soft-spoken.

"I'm glad you came," said Itachi, "Considering the circumstances. I've heard so much about you from Sasuke, more so what he doesn't say than what he actually does say."

"Yeah." Naruto attempted to shake himself out of this stupor he was in - what was with this commanding presence Itachi had? It felt like standing in front of a general or president or something. "I've really been lookin' forward to meeting you, and you're... so different than what I imagined."

"Oh?" Itachi's eyebrow quirked. "I hope you're not disappointed in any way."

"No, the opposite," Naruto blurted, and, again, Itachi laughed.

They let go of each other's hands. Itachi motioned to his brother, who, now that Naruto glanced at him, maintained an odd expression that was hard to place. Was it... jealousy? No, it couldn't be.

"Sasuke," said Itachi. "Aren't you going to hug your older brother, or are you embarrassed to do it in front of your boyfriend?"

"Shut up," Sasuke mumbled, and when Itachi opened his arms, the younger Uchiha went directly into them.

Often overwhelmed by moments like these, Naruto immediately teared up and had to look away. It was just that, he could see the way Itachi's fingers dug into the back of Sasuke's jacket, and considering the hug had gone on longer than 20 seconds and Sasuke was still very much a willing participant, it was clearly something he'd needed. It was even harder still when they pulled apart, but Sasuke remained close enough that Itachi placed an arm around his shoulders, pulled him in again, and kissed the side of his head.

"I'm glad you're home," Itachi said to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded but didn't speak a word; instead, he raked a hand through his hair and lowered his head a bit so that Naruto couldn't see his face.

"Naruto," Itachi suddenly said. "I'm going to take Sasuke inside and then I'll help you with the other suitcase if that's alright."

"I'm fine," Sasuke said, putting a hand to his brother's chest and pushing him away. He turned around, blindly grabbing for the luggage handle and, in that brief instant, Naruto saw that he'd been crying. Sasuke went ahead of them into the house. Naruto, too stunned to move, stood there like an idiot.

"It's been rough for him, hasn't it?" Itachi asked, sounding wary. Unexpectedly, he put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I can't tell you, Naruto, how very thankful I am that you agreed to come here with him."

Naruto shrugged. "It's no problem. I wanted to come. Honestly, he's been pretty good about it all until this morning."

"I see. Well. Let's get settled, and maybe you and I can have a chat about it later? I hear you're a fan of Call of Duty. Just to let you know, I taught Sasuke everything he knows." He smirked at Naruto, and, once more, he was really thrown off by how similar the brothers were - not just in looks, but in manner and expression.

"I kinda suck compared to Sasuke, so I can't say I'll put up much of a challenge."

"I'll teach you a few tricks, don't worry. I'm much more patient with instruction than Sasuke can be. Do you want me to get your backpack for you?"

"No." He gripped the strap over his shoulder. "It's not heavy."

"Let me at least get your suitcase then."

Naruto would've protested, but Itachi already started rolling it toward the front door. Naruto followed behind him, and as they entered the house - did it smell like freshly baked bread or was that just him? - he removed his shoes and set them by the door, beside Sasuke's. Sasuke wasn't anywhere to be found, which was okay. Itachi offered to take his jacket and hung it up in a nearby closet.

"I assume Sasuke's gone to his room. I'll show you where that is."

"Ah, actually." Naruto shoved his hands into his jean pockets. "Maybe we should give him space? I'll bring my stuff in there later. I mean, if you don't mind me leavin' it out here."

"That's fine. It's not as if I ever expect many guests," Itachi commented with a wry smile.

"Heh. Guess not."

"I apologize for my brother's manners, but in the meantime, would you like me to give you a tour?"

Grinning, Naruto removed his hands from his pockets so that he could fold his arms behind his head. "Yeah, y'know. I'd really like that."

"Very good," said Itachi before turning on his heel, "Then follow me."

* * *

><p>After a tour around the house, Naruto came to the conclusion that Itachi was many different things, and that included being very intelligent, funny, and ridiculously charming. A lot like Sasuke, but just... in a different package? It was sort of bizarre, how easily they got along. Then again, he'd thought of Sasuke as something akin to a best friend after only a few minutes of conversation. Was it possible it had to do with something in the Uchiha bloodline? Not that he was attracted to Itachi (because wow, wouldn't that be weird and awkward as well as a huge surprise considering all this time he'd thought only Sasuke could sway him to swing this way), but he was just a very cool, very "together" kind of guy that you had no choice but to respect.<p>

Currently, they were on the covered deck that looked out onto the acreage in their back yard. There were lots of trees and a landscaped path that led to a Japanese stone garden surrounded by various plants and flowers. Beside it was a small pond containing a dozen koi according to Itachi.

"Our mother used to love gardening," Itachi explained when he caught Naruto gazing down at everything with a smile.

"Yeah? I kinda like it myself, too, but I haven't done much in the last couple of years."

"Why not?"

Naruto turned around and leaned against the deck railing. "I dunno. I... hadn't really thought about it."

Itachi took a few steps closer to stand beside him. "The weather is supposed to let up tomorrow. Maybe Sasuke can show you around the property. There's a four-wheeler in the garage. I haven't had it serviced in a while, but I hear you're pretty good with your hands?"

Naruto was torn between cracking an immature joke and whooping for joy at the possibility of riding an ATV. But then he lost some enthusiasm when he thought about Sasuke brooding alone in his room. It probably showed on his face.

"Like you mentioned, Naruto. He just needs a little time to himself. He hasn't been home in some time, and you and I both know that my situation can't be very easy for him."

"Situation?" Naruto nearly scoffed at the level of calm he was capable of showing. "What about you?"

"Hm?" Itachi shifted, turning more his way as he placed a hand on the railing.

"You're the one on trial. You're the one who'll have to bear the consequences. I mean... aren't you scared?"

Itachi inclined his head, expression thoughtful. "I suppose it's as you said: I hadn't really thought about it. Also, you're a very interesting person, Naruto."

"Why's that?"

Itachi's gaze was intense and assessing. "I would think that someone in your position might be angry with me for putting your boyfriend through all of this. And while I'm sure Sasuke has explained the circumstances of what happened with my company, maybe you wonder why it is I'm willing to sacrifice so much?"

"I'd be lyin' if I said I'd never thought about it, but now that we've met, I think I can understand why without you tellin' me."

The older man smiled. "Then why don't you tell me about Sasuke. How is he...doing?"

Naruto blew out a heavy breath. "Honestly? I'm worried. But, even he knew that coming here might present a bit of a challenge. For us, I mean. I think he's... nervous. I am, too, though."

"Nervous?" Itachi queried.

"For the verdict. But also, he talks a lot about how he used to be. I don't know exactly how he used to be before we met, because since I've known him, he's always been Sasuke. This amazing man I fell in love with. But he's worried about losin' you, the last of his family, and I guess he thinks that he'll turn back into the person he became after your parents died."

"I understand." Itachi smiled sadly. "He and I have had our," there was a slight lift to an eyebrow, "arguments. He's not happy with the choices I've made, and while I feel remorse for causing him pain, there's no other choice. I hope one day he can forgive me. But there are lots of people at stake, and they could lose everything."

"I think there's a way he'd forgive you," said Naruto.

"Oh. How's that?"

He grinned. "Make sure you end up gettin' acquitted of all charges."

Itachi gave a dark chuckle. "I'm working on it. So, do you think we should check on him? I imagine his ears are burning."

"Yeah. I hate to talk about him when he's not here, but he doesn't open up to me about it a lot, and today he's been... pardon me for sayin' this about your brother, but what a bastard."

"You know. He really was such a cute kid."

"What happened?" Naruto joked, making the other man bark out a laugh.

"I'll have to show you later, but let me tell you something. Even before our parents died, Sasuke and my father maintained a very, to put it delicately, tenuous relationship. Part of this is my fault. Our father had very high expectations for his two sons. The path I followed," Itachi paused as he stared off at something in the distance, "Father expected Sasuke to follow a similar one. Perhaps, so did I. I knew Sasuke thought he had to hide who he was in order to please our parents, and because of that, he suffered. The summer he graduated from high school, I did encourage him to come out, but Sasuke... it was very difficult for him to make that decision."

"And your Dad didn't take it very well?"

"I believe he could have handled it better."

Naruto nodded. "He feels guilty, I think. That he disappointed them, and only a little later, they passed away. It's like he continues to carry that guilt, and while he was in New York, he didn't believe that he... deserved to be happy?"

"I think you're correct. However," Itachi put a hand on top of Naruto's head and ruffled his hair. "I do believe that since he's been with you, he's opened himself up to the possibility that he does deserve to be happy."

"Because he does!" Naruto insisted in an overly loud voice. "I mean, he is the smartest, wittiest bastard I've ever known in my life, and he's... God is he generous, Itachi. I can see where other people might consider him a bit stand-offish at first, but not at all. Every time I introduce him to people, they all can't figure out why someone as amazing as him would wanna be with a goof-off like me. Just like how I know he says he needs me, I need him. What he's done for me... I haven't even had a chance to tell him everything, because I suck at expressing myself with words sometimes, but... I'm afraid, too. That, if he loses you, I'll lose him." Suddenly, he stopped. "Sorry, I - "

Arms wrapped around him, and Naruto found his face pressed into Itachi's shoulder. How embarrassing. To be crying on the shoulder of Sasuke's older brother after only about an hour of knowing each other.

"Sorry," he repeated, but Itachi shushed him and rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry, too," Itachi said quietly.

Naruto sniffled into Itachi's sweater.

"Let's go inside." Itachi took hold of his shoulders. "I'll make you some tea, and then you can bring some to Sasuke. He and I can have our own talk later tonight, but I was hoping I could ask you a favor first."

He wiped at his nose. "Yeah, sure. Anything."

"I would be very honored if you'd assist me with making dinner this evening. I have a strong desire to learn more about the man who was able to get my brother to settle down and commit to a normal adult relationship. To be honest with you, I was beginning to worry."

Naruto managed a laugh, though he was a little embarrassed as well as flattered. Praise from someone like Itachi seemed an incredible reward in itself. How had it been for Sasuke to grow up with someone like this as an older brother? It would've been both amazing and incredibly frustrating.

"If you think I won't screw anything up, I'd love to help," he said.

"Good. Then let's make our way to the kitchen. I made sure to have a few of his favorite things delivered before you arrived."

"Of course you did," Naruto said cheekily as they walked into the house. "You're very thoughtful like that."

"I try to plan ahead when I can."

Naruto caught the way Itachi smirked and had to comment, "I imagine if you had any enemies, that could be a plenty terrifying quality."

"And I would say that you're quite correct on that point."

* * *

><p>Naruto was walking down the hallway that led to Sasuke's bedroom. Itachi's bedroom was on the opposite side of the house. The door was shut, so he had to knock on it with his foot, but after a minute with no answer, he switched one of the mugs to his other hand and turned the knob.<p>

Sasuke was lying on the bed with his eyes closed and a pair of headphones on. Since he had the opportunity, he glanced around the room, smiling at every little thing he saw. For once, there were actually pictures. There were framed photographs in a bookshelf as well as on a desk in one corner of the room. Like at the apartment, there were a couple of framed concert and festival posters. Above the desk, there was a large pin board with at least one hundred different concert tickets tacked to it.

He really wanted to snoop around and look at everything, but, first, he walked to the side of the bed and placed one of the mugs on the nightstand. He sat on the edge of the bed, studying his boyfriend's face. He was sleeping, but even in sleep, his brow was furrowed. Sasuke had his hands resting together on top of his stomach.

Naruto, very lightly, touched his arm. Sasuke's eyes opened, and taking a moment to focus on him, he removed his headphones.

"Itachi made you some tea," he said.

Sasuke sat up, music still playing from the headphones around his neck.

"Thank you," he said and took the mug from him. After his first sip, he looked up at Naruto in surprise. "This - "

Naruto smiled. "He said he ordered some of your favorite things. Wasn't that sweet of him?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You like him. I can tell."

"Of course I like him. Did you want me to not like him?"

"You might like him too much," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto laughed. "Jealous?"

"...Maybe."

Naruto's mouth scrunched to the side at the admission. "Of me or of him?"

Sasuke shrugged and set his tea to the side. "Naruto..." He started to say, but paused, appearing conflicted.

"What's up?"

Sasuke opened his mouth, closed it, and then, in a small voice, said: "Listen to this song with me?"

Naruto blinked at him, but, without any hesitation at all, crawled onto the bed. The springs squeaked as Sasuke moved over to give him room. He sat close, so that their sides touched. Maybe ten seconds had passed when he felt Sasuke grab for his hand and lace their fingers together.

With their clasped hands resting on Sasuke's thigh, the two of them shared a long look. Sasuke's smile was hesitant, and Naruto took it as an apology for earlier, so he smiled back. Although, when Sasuke decided to lean his head on Naruto's shoulder, it caught him by surprise. But, as he watched the way his boyfriend tenderly rubbed a thumb over his, he leaned his head against Sasuke's and breathed out a heavy sigh.

While the familiar chorus played in his ear, he lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Sasuke's temple before settling against him again.

"I _love_ you," Sasuke said.

Hearing the words - the clumsy way they tumbled from his boyfriend's mouth in a voice trembling with insecurity - Naruto started to bite his lip, feeling both relieved and heartbroken. Did Sasuke really think he'd forgotten? That he needed to be reminded or convinced?

"I know," he replied in a similarly unsteady voice and closed his eyes. "Everything's gonna be okay, Sasuke. I promise."


	4. Sasuke's needs

A/N: Chapter edited slightly for content. Full version on y-gallery, where you must be a member to view my page and/or submissions.

* * *

><p>"How can you be such an optimist in this situation?"<p>

Softly, Naruto smiled, turning again to brush his lips across Sasuke's hair. "I just have a feelin'. I believe it'll all be okay."

"You believe it?" Sasuke questioned while shifting to sit upright against the headboard.

"I do, Sasuke. I believe it."

Sasuke studied him intently. "What made you like this?"

He shrugged. "My mom, I think. She always liked to see the best in people and situations. Granted, it didn't really work out all that well for her in the end, but I believe the general philosophy is kind of nice."

"God, that's terrible," Sasuke said, looking horrified.

"Sometimes you have to make light of pretty awful situations or you'll end up curled up in a ball in the corner of a padded cell for the rest of your life."

"Wonderful." Sasuke removed the headphones and set them aside. "Have at it then, let some jokes rip. So help me if you break wind, we're finished because that's not as charming as Kiba seems to think."

Naruto chuckled. "Even I can read the mood on occasion. So," he gave Sasuke's thigh a light slap, "What do you feel like doin'? Are you still tired? Hungry? Itachi wants me to help make dinner, but we haven't really eaten yet today, so I'm sure I could make you a sandwich."

"Why are you the one making me a sandwich when it's my house?" Sasuke placed his hand on top of Naruto's, curling a finger around Naruto's pinky and playing with it.

"Because," he said, watching Sasuke's finger closely, "I want to take care of you."

Sasuke glanced up at him, the line of his mouth tense and tightly pressed together. "About earlier - "

Naruto held up his other hand, stopping him. "It's fine. I'm not takin' anything you say personally."

"Hm."

"What did I say on the plane? I was serious. Just use me as your personal stress ball. When it gets to be too much,come to me and push me around or yell at me, or if you really wanna embarrass yourself, cry on your brother's shoulder like I did a little while ago."

"What?" Sasuke let go of his hand.

"Kidding. I wouldn't do that." Naruto glanced off to the side and coughed, but Sasuke took hold of his chin and forced him to turn his head.

While Sasuke searched his face for answers, Naruto spent time observing him, too. He looked paler than usual, tired. Reaching out, he brushed Sasuke's hair to the side and behind his ear.

"You're going to sing to me now, aren't you?" Sasuke asked, smirking at him.

"I was considering it, yeah." Naruto laughed aloud.

"Well?"

"Well, now I don't wanna do it 'cause you ruined the moment." He smiled affectionately, and when Sasuke smiled, as well, he felt pleased with himself for lightening the mood.

"What did you and my brother talk about? Did he show you around the house?"

Naruto nodded. "He did. We're gonna go through the photo albums soon so I can see what you were like before you turned into a jerk."

"I'm not sure if we have any copies of Mother's sonograms from when she was carrying me."

Naruto laughed again, harder than before. "Smartass," he said.

He got up on his knees, and, straddling Sasuke's legs, wrapped his arms around him in a hug. He rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder, kissing him once - tenderly - on the side of his neck. After a few seconds, Sasuke put a hand on the left side of his waist.

"I might not be myself over the next couple of days," Sasuke said quietly into his ear.

"I know."

"I might say things I don't really mean."

"I know. I don't care."

"Well, I care."

Naruto raised his head. "If worse comes to worst, I think your brother and I have a pretty good chemistry. Maybe I can find solace in his arms?"

Sasuke's eyes started to narrow. "Do you have a thing for my brother?"

"Why?" He asked with a smirk. "Do you have a thing for your brother?"

"I can't tell if I want to rough you up a bit right now or throw you down on this bed and make it so that you don't even think about cracking jokes involving you in any type of sexual scenario with Itachi."

"Wait." Naruto put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "What's the difference?"

"Absolutely nothing," said Sasuke, and, grabbing Naruto under the arms, flipped them over so that he lay on top. He buried his nose against the side of Naruto's neck and let out a deep sigh. "You're in my bed."

Naruto rubbed his hands up and down his boyfriend's back. "I am."

"I thought the first time you and I stepped into this room, I'd throw you down and make mad, passionate love to you." He pressed another kiss to Naruto's skin, tugging at the collar of his shirt so that he could place more kisses along the curve of his collar bone.

"This is okay, too," Naruto replied. "Seriously though, Sasuke. If you wanna unload or talk about stuff, I'm always here. I know you can go to your brother now and do that, but... don't forget about me."

"I'll try to remember."

"Mmkay." He kissed Sasuke's forehead, smiling a little as the other man shut his eyes tight. "How about that sandwich?"

"What, you mean the one where you're between Itachi and me in bed?"

"Ooooh," Naruto groaned. "You're hilarious! And you ruined my joke. I was gonna say somethin' like that."

"You're so predictable." Sasuke started to sit up, but Naruto wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down again.

"I'm not," he argued. "I'm the most unpredictable person you know." He put his hand on Sasuke's butt and squeezed it.

"You doing that is in no way surprising, just so you know." Sasuke jerked his chin up, incidentally causing Naruto's shirt to rise and reveal the lower part of his stomach.

Naruto looked on, amused as Sasuke rested his cheek there and latched onto the side of his body like a baby koala. He set his hand on top of Sasuke's head, ruffling his hair fondly before applying a gentle massage. Sasuke almost sounded as if he was purring.

"How do you think Ollie's doing?" Naruto asked.

"I'm sure your Dad is giving him plenty of attention."

"Yeah, but when you went to Austin, he didn't do so well without his master."

Sasuke pushed his shirt up further and threw an arm across his waist, curling his fingers at Naruto's hip. "Say master again."

"Master," he said, smiling.

"Now say it with a British accent."

"Mawstah."

"Terrible," said Sasuke.

"I like your back yard. It seems nice and peaceful. Itachi said your mom was fond of gardening. You never told me that."

"Didn't I?" Sasuke began to trace a finger around his belly button.

"You're like a little kid right now," Naruto commented, his tone gentle as he continued to run his fingers through Sasuke's hair.

"I feel like a little kid right now."

His fingers stopped moving only to start again. "If I lay heeeeere. If I just laaaay here. Would you lie with me, and just forget the world?"

Sasuke's body shook against his side in laughter. He lowered his head, lips pressing to Naruto's stomach and then, slowly, scraped his teeth across skin, pausing at the top of his hip to bite down. He raised his eyes to meet Naruto's.

"Whatcha doin' down there, big boy?"

His boyfriend's eyebrow went up. "Don't say that again."

"Fair enough."

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Sasuke dragged himself into a kneeling position.

Leaning over Naruto, he took hold of his face and moved in for a kiss - stopping just before their mouths could make contact. Naruto, having closed his eyes in anticipation, opened them to see what was wrong.

Sasuke's gaze on him was intense as he started to trace his lips with a thumb - bottom first and then the top. At the touch, Naruto's lips parted, and the tip of Sasuke's thumb slipped in further, allowing for him to playfully nibble at the tip. He grabbed Sasuke's wrist and lifted up so that he could take it even further into his mouth and suck on it.

"Careful or I really will take you right here on my childhood bed where I had many an adolescent masturbatory fantasy about some straight, blond-haired, blue-eyed jock begging me to do all kinds of things to him."

"That explains the recent string of search words on your Internet browser's history."

Sasuke chuckled, tilting his head, bangs swaying in front of his eyes. "I don't need to watch porn when I have you."

"Oh? What do you wanna watch me do then?" He took two of Sasuke's fingers and brought them halfway into his mouth, licking their tips with his tongue.

Sasuke's eyes glazed over. "I can think of a few things."

Naruto slipped his fingers out. "I bet you can think of more than a few. Maybe something where you can leave a few more scratch marks on my body."

"I was thinking something a little different."

"Different?" Turning Sasuke's hand over, he kissed the underside of his wrist.

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"You..."

Hearing the unsteadiness in Sasuke's voice, he looked up. "What is it?"

"Nothing," said Sasuke, shaking his head and forcing a smile that Naruto didn't buy for a second. "It's nothing."

"Liar." Naruto sat up, squinting at him suspiciously. "Tell me."

"Why are you going so far for me? We've been together, not really even four months, and you insist on staying by my side. You even came to Seattle knowing how things were likely to be, that I'd - "

Naruto kissed him before he could finish, and when Sasuke tried to move away, he wrapped his arms around him and kissed him harder until he felt Sasuke's arms embrace him. They kissed for a while - slow, needy, exploratory kisses where when one of them stopped to tease, the other followed after, wanting to continue. By the end of it, he was nearly in Sasuke's lap, with his boyfriend dragging nails across his shoulder blades. As Naruto turned his head, lowering it slightly, Sasuke pressed a firm and lingering kiss to his cheek that caused him to grin stupidly.

"You didn't answer my question," said Sasuke.

"I did so," Naruto countered. "That was my answer. It's because I'm in love with you, dumbass. Isn't it obvious?" He reached around and gave Sasuke's ass a slap. "Now get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich."

"I'm not your bitch, Naruto." Sasuke smirked.

"You certainly acted like you were last night." He waggled his eyebrows. "Besides, if you don't wanna, I'll just go ask Itachi to do it." He managed to pull himself away from Sasuke so that he could take his tea (now probably cold) with him to the kitchen. It wasn't very long before he heard Sasuke scrambling to follow him.

"I'll make it," said Sasuke, adding dryly, "Just don't leave me for my brother. There's only so much trauma one man can take in his life."

"Well, we'll just have to see based on how good your sandwich tastes."

They walked down the hallway side by side - Naruto with his arms folded behind his head and Sasuke with his shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets.

"After that, you should let me into your garage."

"Why's that?" Sasuke asked.

"Itachi mentioned you have a four-wheeler that might need serviced. He said you told him I'm good with my hands."

"That's it. I'm not leaving you two alone anymore." He bumped into Naruto's shoulder.

"Please," said Naruto. "You're the only Uchiha I wanna bang. How many times do I have to say it?"

"Idiot. Did you have to say it so loud?"

"What? It's not like Itachi heard me - " And, oh wait, was that Itachi standing at the end of the hallway?

As they approached him, Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hey, Itachi. Didn't see you there. Uh... what I said just then - "

"It's okay, Naruto. Though it hurts my feelings you have no interest in me as a sexual partner," Itachi's dark eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'm glad you were able to get my brother out of his room. Usually I have to bribe him or threaten him with violence."

"So that's where he learned it?" Naruto joked. "'Cause that's what he does with me, too."

"We're hungry, Itachi," said Sasuke. "So, if you two are finished flirting with each other, let's get something to eat."

"Tch." Naruto watched as his boyfriend breezed past them. "One minute he's makin' out with me, the next he's back to bein' a jealous monster."

"It's amusing, isn't it?" Itachi remarked.

"Like hell." He grinned at the older man. "Maybe for you."

"It has been lonely here, so I suppose I'm happy that you're here to provide entertainment."

Naruto smiled at him broadly. "Ha, and I have a feelin' this is just the beginnin', too."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to bring him around so quickly?"

"Huh? I dunno. I just cracked some inappropriate jokes and kissed him a little bit."

"Interesting tactic and not one I've tried before."

"Well, I'd have to beat you up if you did, 'cause, like I said before. He's the only Uchiha for me, and I don't share well."

"Naruto," Itachi said slowly, "My brother and I don't have that sort of relationship."

Naruto squinted at him through one eye. "Sure you don't. I'll see you in the kitchen." He started to walk away but then stopped. "Oh, hey, do you have an apron? We can force Sasuke to wear it as he makes us lunch."

Instead of waiting for Itachi to answer, he ended up jogging after Sasuke.

"Oi, Sasuke!" He shouted. "Itachi and I want you to wear an apron while you cook! Where can I find one?"

* * *

><p>The three of them were goofing off in the kitchen, and it was funny as hell to watch Sasuke and Itachi interact since both were so dry and sarcastic (and sometimes mean) to each other that you might've assumed they didn't like one another. While Naruto sat on one of the counters (even though Sasuke told him to get off but only before Itachi said it was okay), the brothers were busy making BLTs. Not that BLTs required a lot of work. Naruto had already done his part by slicing up a couple of tomatoes. He didn't even like them that much, but he knew Sasuke loved them.<p>

"So, Naruto," Itachi addressed him, "What's it like working for your Dad? He owns a boat shop, correct?"

"He does," Naruto answered, kicking his legs against the cabinet, "I like it. I get to work with my best friends, and my Dad's a pretty cool guy. I spend more time at his house than I do my own apartment."

"I'm trying to talk him into getting rid of it," said Sasuke, who had taken over the flipping of the bacon once Itachi was out of his way.

Itachi appeared surprised at first. "Where would he live then exactly?"

"With me, obviously," Sasuke replied.

Itachi looked at Naruto and then his brother. "Who are you and what have you done with my younger, emotionally dysfunctional brother?"

Naruto snorted, and Sasuke shot a glare over his shoulder. Immediately, he made his face go blank again, even whistling innocently.

"It's a waste of money," said Sasuke.

"What do you think about all this, Naruto? You're being awfully quiet on the subject. As someone who lived with my brother for many years, I can understand your hesitation."

"Well," Naruto tilted his head in thought, "I've considered it, but I dunno. I like my little apartment. I've had it since I graduated college. I'd live with Sasuke, though. We spend most of our time together anyway."

Abruptly, Sasuke turned around. "When were you going to tell me this?"

"We've talked about it a few times. What do you want me to say? I've never lived with anyone but Kiba before, and my freshman roommate, and I guess Gaara and his family, and this other guy my junior year, and - " He stopped talking.

Sasuke shook his head and switched positions with Itachi who took over minding the bacon while he got out some bread to put in the toaster (white for Naruto and wheat for himself and Itachi).

"I want mayonnaise on mine, Sasuke," said Naruto.

"I know." Sasuke smiled at him.

"C'mere."

"No, not when you've lived with everyone but me." He came over to Naruto anyway, placing his hands on the counter - trapping him there. "Stop living with everyone but me. Does that ring a bell with you?"

Naruto blushed. "Sasuke," he groaned. "Your brother's right there. He's gonna barf soon if we keep flirtin' with each other in front of him."

"Thank you for your consideration," said Itachi, "But I'm fine with it. It's such an oddity to me, I'm quite enjoying it, really."

"That's kinda perverted," Naruto remarked with a smirk. "Is everybody into watchin' us these days?" He tugged at the front of Sasuke's shirt, pulling him forward for a brief peck on the lips.

"Do I even want to know?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke turned around and leaned against the counter, in front of Naruto, who took the opportunity to put his arms around him.

"We went to a club last night and ran into an old high school classmate of mine," said Sasuke. "He caught us fucking in the alley."

"Holy shit, Sasuke." He covered his boyfriend's mouth. "How can you say it like that in front of your brother?"

Sasuke removed his hand. "My brother's not as fragile as you think."

"Yeah, but you yelled at me when I said that thing about the carpet matchin' the drapes even though that's, like, the first thing your friend Suigetsu said to me."

Itachi turned off the stove and set the empty (but still sizzling) pan on one of the other burners. "You met Suigetsu? You have my sympathy."

"Ha, yeah. No, he wasn't that bad. Well, he got better toward the end?"

Sasuke shifted in his arms. "I'm surprised you remember considering how much you had to drink."

"Pssht. You don't know what you're talkin' about."

"This was after your first date?" Itachi asked, opening up a cabinet to remove a few plates. "I think I remember Sasuke telling me you were nervous. What made you decide to go out with him when you'd never been interested in men before?"

Naruto nudged his boyfriend. "You told him I was nervous?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Well, the short version of it is," he rested his chin on Sasuke's shoulder, "Wait, I'm not sure if there is a short version?" He kissed Sasuke's ear when he heard him snort again.

"I always get what I want," said Sasuke to his brother. "You know that."

When Itachi turned around, Naruto swore he caught him rolling his eyes. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms to his chest, an eyebrow drawn slightly upward in amusement. "Naruto, ignore him. Right now, he's just trying to show off."

Naruto smiled, even laughing a bit, which led to Sasuke elbowing him in the stomach.

"It's a fair question," said Naruto. "I mean, I liked him almost as soon as he sat down at the table. I say almost 'cause he was kind of odd at first. Even rude. But then he offered to buy me another coffee because I let him sit there, and I realized... okay, he's cool. We chatted a while, about stupid shit. I was just rambling a lot, and he was humoring me probably, right?"

"Something like that," said Sasuke.

"He was new to town, and I thought maybe we could hang out again sometime? I remember, when he told me he was gay, I kind of... "

"Freaked out?" Sasuke suggested.

"No, shut up. You know it didn't bother me, but you just sort of blurted it out of nowhere."

"I didn't blurt it."

"Sasuke," said Itachi. "Let your boyfriend tell his story."

"Thank you, Itachi." Naruto grinned at him, and they shared a conspiratorial look. "We went out for dinner. I asked him. I was kinda surprised he said yes, but anyway, we spent, what, a few hours at the restaurant just talkin' about anything and everything. He was funny and smart. We went back to his place, I think so that I could meet Ollie and... he was just... unlike anyone I'd ever met before. And if he left the room, I wanted him to come back. I wanted his attention. It's not like Sasuke even tried anything, it was more me, I guess." He rubbed the side of his nose. "Lookin' back, I realize that if I hadn't acted so receptive, he wouldn't have made a move, and I never woulda had the balls to pursue anything more than friendship."

"That's not entirely true," murmured Sasuke. "If we'd stayed friends, I might've eventually made a move, but when you wanted to share my bed," he glanced over his shoulder at Naruto, "I had a pretty good idea that you were curious."

"It's not that I was curious," Naruto said softly. "That makes it sound like you were this novelty to me. I wasn't curious what it feels like to touch or kiss a guy. I just... wanted something. From you. Because I... was attracted to you. Your personality anyway."

"Quite the opposite of what Sasuke's used to, I'm sure," said Itachi.

Catching Sasuke's reaction to that, which was a very abrupt scowl, Naruto laughed at him, and, offended, Sasuke removed himself from Naruto's arms to go and pick up a juicy slice of tomato off of the plate.

"I'd like to hear even more about this," said Itachi, "But I'm afraid the bacon will get cold. Sasuke, why don't you take care of the drinks, and I'll make the sandwiches."

"Let me help," said Naruto, jumping off of the counter. "I can make mine, and I know what Sasuke likes." He put together his (a lot of bacon, a little lettuce, a slathering of mayo, and a very small piece of tomato). Then he made Sasuke's (a few strips of bacon, two pieces of lettuce, and three slices of tomato, with the smallest bit of butter spread on only one of the pieces of toast).

From the fridge, Sasuke grabbed a can of Coke for him and a bottled water for himself as well as his brother. They took everything into the TV/family room, which was the room that led out to the deck via the French doors. They left the TV off, though, and chatted about this and that - all serious topics were completely avoided. As Naruto was taking a bite of his sandwich, he happened to look over at this antique glass cabinet, which had several shelves full of thick, black binders.

"Are those photo albums?" Naruto asked through a mouthful of toast and lettuce.

"No," Sasuke said immediately. "And, by the way, that cabinet is rigged with an explosive."

"Heh. I bet." He shared a glance with Itachi, and when the older man smiled, he knew there'd be a chance to go through them. Maybe when Sasuke wasn't around to stop him. God, the idea of seeing Sasuke as a baby or as a little kid - or, actually. More than anything, he really wanted to see pictures of him from high school. He didn't know why, but he'd always been very curious about what Sasuke was like as a teenager. He'd mentioned dating girls, and that was such a weird and foreign concept to him that he'd have to see it to believe it.

"Naruto," Sasuke called to him, capturing his attention. "No."

"I didn't say anything. Did I, Itachi?"

"No, Naruto. You didn't. Sasuke, stop being so paranoid."

"Yeah, Sasuke," he said. "Stop bein' so paranoid."

Sasuke sent him a glare. "Do you want to sleep on the couch tonight?"

"No." Naruto pouted and grabbed for his Coke in the hopes that it would reassure him.

"I wouldn't allow a guest to sleep on the couch," said Itachi. "He can always sleep in my room."

Naruto started choking on his soda.

"We have two other empty rooms," said Sasuke. "Why does it have to be yours?"

"Why not?" asked Itachi.

When Naruto finally got a hold of himself, he also asked, "Yeah, Sasuke. Why not?"

"Fine," he said to Naruto. "If you want to sleep with my brother, go right ahead."

"No fun." Naruto handed his crust over to Sasuke. "You take it."

"Why didn't you cut it off to begin with?" Sasuke asked, taking it from him automatically.

"Dunno. Forgot." He glanced up and caught Itachi staring at him. "What?"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm just... very happy, I think."

Sasuke seemed more surprised by these words than Naruto judging from the way he suddenly looked at his brother with wide eyes.

"Why do you say that?" Sasuke asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"It's nothing."

Naruto kept looking between the both of them, expecting something to happen. So help him if they hugged and Sasuke started crying again, he was going to need to find a box of Kleenex. He was a man, dammit. Why did he keep getting moved by these sanguine moments? While he was busy trying to calm his swelling emotions, the other two men stood at the same time and started grabbing the plates.

"Don't get up," Itachi told him, reaching for his plate. "We'll take care of this."

"Uh, sure." He held onto his Coke, though, watching the two brothers as they left the room together. Shiftily, he glanced around the room, wondering if this might be a good opportunity to break out the photo albums, but just as he got up from his seat, Sasuke popped back in the doorway.

"I said no."

"But Sasuke," he whined pathetically.

"Come over here where I can keep an eye on you. The three of us can play some Call of Duty, okay?"

Spastically, Naruto ran after him. The photos could wait!

"I am so gonna lose!" he shouted, catching up to Sasuke's side as they headed down the stairs to the basement.

"Idiot," Sasuke said to him affectionately, cuffing him on the back of the head. "That's nothing to be proud of."

* * *

><p>After an hour of Call of Duty, Naruto gave up since he was being slaughtered by Sasuke and Itachi anyway. He'd never seen two more competitive people, and man did they trash talk. They were worse than the 12 year olds who got on the mic and couldn't say anything but faggot or cocksucker. Although, cocksucker was a hard word to take offense to anymore as it was an accurate description of himself.<p>

"Do you guys care if I go into the garage and take a look at the four-wheeler?" he asked.

"Sure, whatever," said Sasuke.

"Key's in the top drawer of the red metal cabinet, hanging on a hook," said Itachi, equally as distracted. "Use whatever tools you need."

Seeing as his presence probably wouldn't be missed, Naruto went through the door that led to the garage. It was fairly large, at least big enough for three mid-size SUVs, but there was only one: a black Range Rover. He assumed it was Itachi's, but he doubted it got much use considering he wasn't allowed to leave the property unsupervised. He spotted the red cabinet. It was in a corner, beside a window, and also next to an old wooden workbench that nearly spanned the length of the back wall. He wondered if all of these tools belonged to Itachi, or had they been their father's? A couple of saws sat covered, screwdrivers, hammers, various wrenches, and a couple smaller tool boxes. As he snooped inside some of the drawers, he found a vast collection of nails, screws, staples, batteries - all kinds of stuff. The workspace wasn't particularly dusty, but it didn't seem as if any of the tools saw a lot of use either. Maybe Itachi was handy, but Naruto already knew Sasuke couldn't do a whole lot more than hang a framed poster and maybe, if prompted, change a tire or his oil, but beyond that, he was kind of helpless.

He walked to the other side of the garage, where he spotted the ATV and pulled off the plastic tarp. Folding it neatly, he set it aside on a nearby floating shelf. Naruto whistled appreciatively, slightly jealous something like this was hidden away in someone's garage, not being used. Sasuke never showed interest in these kinds of things, so maybe Itachi? He couldn't really imagine him riding one either. It was a blue 2004 Yamaha YFZ450. He pulled at the latch of the hood and discovered a 439cc, one-cylinder engine. Everything looked pretty good, but the batteries on ATVs could wear down fast, especially if neglected for an extended period of time. Well, he wouldn't know for sure until he turned it on. He went to the cabinet and retrieved the key, which was exactly where Itachi said it would be. Of course, when he attempted to start the ignition, the engine didn't turn over, but it did make a few sharp clicking noises before it sputtered into silence. Clearly a dead battery, so he got off of the seat and went in search of a socket wrench. After rummaging through a couple of drawers, he found one that he thought might fit the bolts around the seat. It didn't take very long to remove them, and when he did, he was simply able to pull the seat back, up, and off. He set it aside on the garage floor.

Removing the battery was simple enough. He brought it to the workbench and began taking off the mount covers. He'd seen the battery charger on the bottom shelf of the red cabinet, so Naruto walked over, crouched down, and dragged it out. Carrying it back to the bench, he placed the clamps on the corresponding mounts and plugged it into a nearby outlet. He'd check it in a few hours, but it might need to charge over night. It's not like it was the best weather for riding anyway. He decided to have another look under the ATV's hood in order to see if any of the pistons needed to be tightened or if the fuses all appeared to be in working order. It was then that the door leading from the house opened, and Sasuke stepped into the garage, shutting the door behind him.

"Did you find yourself a new toy?" Sasuke asked, digging his hands in his pockets as he walked over to him.

"I know this isn't yours," Naruto said, gripping one of the handles, "And I can't really see Itachi on one of these either, so whose is it, really?"

Sasuke gazed at him a moment before replying, "A friend of Itachi's has been storing it here for a while."

"Ah, that's a shame. It's in good shape except the dead battery," he pointed at the workbench, "which is chargin' over there."

"Itachi wants me to run to the store to get some things for dinner. Do you want to go, or would you rather stay here?"

Naruto shrugged. "Ah, since I've got this charging, I wanna stay here. I need to check out the carburetor, too. I imagine since it's always so rainy here, there can be a lot of moisture build up, which really effects the joints in the suspension." Okay, now he was just making stuff up because he knew Sasuke knew nothing about engines, and he really wanted him to leave so that he could go through those photo albums! He tried to play it cool, though, so it wouldn't show on his face.

"Uh huh." Sasuke eyed him suspiciously. "Well, is there anything you want or need that you'd like me to bring back?"

"Condoms and lube?" He joked. "Heh. No. Coke and Hot Pockets?"

"Itachi already had Hot Pockets delivered. Didn't you see them in the freezer?"

Naruto's mouth fell open. "He ordered me... Hot Pockets? Sasuke," he reached for his boyfriend's sleeve, "Maybe you shouldn't leave me alone with your brother, after all."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Is that all it takes to win your heart, Naruto?"

He grinned. "They say the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

"I thought the fastest way to a man's heart was through his sternum, but then again, I don't have a medical degree."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, you'd definitely have been a good doctor. You're great with anatomy."

"I won't be long. Just try not to electrocute yourself."

"Well, if that happens, maybe Itachi can give me CPR?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I hate you." He turned around and walked away.

"Noooo!" Naruto went after him. "You love me. I know you do."

"Shut up, idiot. I'll be back in less than an hour." He shut the door in Naruto's face.

Naruto grinned lop-sidedly at the door. He'd have to give it a few more minutes before Sasuke actually left, so he made sure to put away the socket wrench where he'd found it and then went inside of the house. The basement was empty, and just as he was about to go up the stairs, he heard the front door shut and assumed Sasuke had gone to the store.

Jogging upstairs, Naruto hooked a left down the hallway that led to the TV room, and as he skidded to a stop on the slick wood floor, he discovered Itachi standing in the middle of the room.

He regarded Naruto with a cool smirk. "I suppose you came here for something in particular?"

"Uh, yeah," he said. "You aren't... gonna try and stop me from seein' what Sasuke was like as a kid, are you?"

"Why would I pass up an opportunity to embarrass my little brother? I'm here to point out the location of all the especially traumatic pictures."

Naruto laughed. "Awesome. He doesn't have any photos at the apartment, really. Not even of the two of us."

"Sasuke isn't the most sentimental person in the world," Itachi commented as he opened the cabinet containing all of the albums. He picked out a few, entreated Naruto to sit on the couch beside him, and thus began the story of Sasuke Uchiha, a little dark-haired baby - that if he had to have guessed - looked a lot more like a baby girl than he did a bouncing baby boy.

"So cute," he mooned over baby Sasuke as he lay tightly bundled up in his hospital blanket and knitted blue cap.

"Mother always said Sasuke was an excellent baby. He usually slept through the night. I would've turned five the month before he was born, so I remember it fairly well."

"I like his little eyes," Naruto murmured, touching the corner of the photo. "His cheeks are so round. You kinda just wanna pinch them, don't you?"

"I'll leave that to you," Itachi said, smirking at him as he glanced up from the page.

They flipped through several more pages, and Naruto, for the first time, was able to see what Sasuke's mother and father looked like. Itachi and Sasuke shared a lot of physical similarities with their mom. She had a very pretty, rounder face with thick, long dark hair and almond-shaped eyes. Their father looked kind of intimidating. In a lot of the pictures, he typically maintained a very stiff posture. His hair was lighter in color, his eyebrows thicker, and he had a squarish jaw and broader nose. Itachi, even as a boy, always had long hair. There was one photo where Itachi held a one-month-old Sasuke in his arms (some of the photos had comments underneath them, written in a feminine handwriting). The two of them were sitting on the deck steps, and Itachi was smiling.

They gradually progressed to the pictures of Sasuke as a toddler. Often, he appeared to be chasing after Itachi or sitting in his lap or at his feet. The second album contained photos of Sasuke's first day of school. He was dressed in khaki shorts and dark blue t-shirt with a soccer ball on it. He couldn't have been more than five years old.

"Teachers always loved Sasuke since he was a good student and so well behaved for his age. You might not believe this, but he was very shy when he was younger, and if I ever made fun of him, he'd burst into tears and run into his room."

Naruto couldn't stop grinning. "How could you make fun of a kid as cute as that? God, look at the blush on his cheeks. That or he got into your mom's makeup bag."

Itachi chuckled. "We'll just say that, yes, Sasuke was fond of Mother's wardrobe, especially her shoes."

"Really? That kind of surprises me for some reason. He owns more beauty products than our friend Ino, but he's never expressed much interest in any other things like that... not that I would be opposed. You haven't, uh, you know...ever seen Sasuke in drag, have you?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the question. "Not that I can recall. However, he did live with an old friend of mine in New York who often dressed in drag. I suppose it's possible that he could've done a many number of things I don't know about while living with him."

"I think Sasuke mentioned him once. Deidara?"

"Yes. When I was in college, I ran with a very eclectic group of people. Many were either gay or bisexual."

"Probably made it easier for Sasuke to come out to you knowing that you didn't have a problem with him being gay."

"I... knew for a long while about Sasuke. I think Mother did, too. But it's true that Sasuke dated girls in high school. Not many, but I do remember meeting two or three. He went to Homecoming and Prom. Whether or not he did anything with boys in high school, I couldn't tell you. He did have more girlfriends than he did boy friends."

"Can I see the ones of him in high school?" He asked, almost tentatively.

"I think they're in this third one here," said Itachi, pulling it out from underneath the others and handing it to him. "I'm going to make some tea, so take your time. If I see Sasuke driving up in the car, I'll be sure to let you know."

Distracted, Naruto only nodded as Itachi left him alone with the photo album. He felt strangely excited (and kind of guilty). Sasuke probably would've kicked his ass if he knew he was going through all of these, but it didn't seem fair. Sasuke'd seen all of his childhood pictures thanks to his Dad, and that included the ones of him naked in baths, potty training, and all sorts of embarrassing scenarios.

There were a few photos of Sasuke at martial arts competitions (some of them oddly sexy to him, though he had to remind himself that made him kind of a pedo), a lot from a play where he had a leading role, and then there were normal pictures of family picnics and vacations. There were so many photos of Sasuke and his mother together, at least compared to his father. It made him wonder if he and his mother had been extremely close, maybe more so than Sasuke had ever indicated to him. Eventually, he came across the photos from Sasuke's junior and senior Homecoming and Prom. There were two different girls, one with long, light brown hair and another with long, auburn hair. They were pretty, but they looked like a lot of girls Naruto had gone to high school with. Kind of odd, though. Seeing Sasuke with girls. He knew Sasuke had said he'd never been with a woman sexually, but had he kissed some or done other stuff? He wondered if they'd had any idea their boyfriend was gay? Or were they maybe just friends? It's not something he'd asked Sasuke about before, but now he was rather curious.

Turning through more pages (and he probably spent 10 minutes going over each one), he discovered photos from Sasuke's graduation, several of which had him standing between his parents - both of them smiling proudly. Itachi was in several, as well. Sasuke might've been 17 here... and even then, he'd been extremely good looking. Had he gone to Naruto's high school, the girls would've been all over him. His hair was a bit shorter, spiked up and styled in the back like he sometimes did now. In his gaze, there was always something kind of restless, ambitious even. He flipped the page again and discovered a picture of Sasuke with a group of older guys, maybe college-aged. He spotted Itachi in the background and wondered if this was the circle of friends that he'd referred to earlier? A few of them wearing short-sleeved shirts revealed tattoos on their arms, a few had piercings, one had long, blond hair like a girl - and then he noticed Sasuke gazing at one guy in particular, the one with ginger-colored, spiky hair. He had several piercings and a tattoo.

Shit.

Was that Yahiko? No way. He looked like he belonged in a biker gang. Attractive, sure, but tough. He appeared as though he was having a conversation with a hot chick who had blue highlights in her hair. He felt the stirring of jealousy and had to remind himself this was many years ago. So what if it was Sasuke's first real adolescent boy crush and also the man who ended up popping his boyfriend's cherry?

Damn, though. Did he have to be so good looking?

He turned yet another page and stopped, immediately drawn to this amazing picture of Sasuke. He was standing on a stage, playing an electric guitar. The strap was over his shoulder, and his head was lowered, watching his fingers. There was a big smile on his face. He wore a black leather jacket, a white t-shirt, a belt with a chunky metal buckle, skinny jeans, and laced-up black boots. Sasuke, at 17, wasn't nearly as broad in the chest or filled out as he was now. He was... kind of skinny, but if you saw him, your first thought would've immediately been: God, this kid is cool.

There were a few more photos from whatever event this was, leading Naruto to think about what he'd been like as a teenager. Like a lot of his friends, he played sports the last two years of high school. Freshman and sophomore years, yeah, he ran with an interesting crowd, but once Gaara moved away, he spent more and more time with Kiba. He hung out with other jocks, and they did the usual things like party and hook up with girls (if they would even give them the time of day). If he was honest, he and Sasuke might've been considered complete opposites at that time in their lives. He doubted they would've hung out or had much in common. A part of him really wanted to take that photo of Sasuke playing the guitar home with him, but stealing it from the Uchiha family album - yeah. Probably not a good idea. Though, maybe there was a scanner in the house? He could scan it and send it to his phone! But what if Sasuke saw it on his phone and then tried to kill him?

Might be worth it. If he'd had his phone on him, he would've snapped a shot of the photo because he wanted it that bad, but he could do it later, and Sasuke was likely on his way home.

Feeling a mix of emotions, Naruto closed the photo album, stacked it with the other two, and returned them to their place in the cabinet. He hadn't seen Itachi in a while, so he went to check if he was still in the kitchen. The older man was sipping at a mug of tea while staring out the window. It was still raining.

"Finished already?" Itachi asked, apparently having heard him come in even though he hadn't made hardly any noise.

"Yeah. Thanks for lettin' me go through those. I really liked the ones of him playing the guitar. You don't have a scanner, do you?"

Itachi glanced at him over his shoulder. "I do. Would you like me to scan it and send it to you?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I really would. I mean, if it's not too much trouble."

"It's no trouble at all. Does he look very different than he did at 17? I always think of him as being that age, but I suppose he's grown up more over the last four or five years."

"Hm." Naruto stuffed his hands in his back pockets, bobbing on his heels. "He was scrawnier than he is now, but... still cool, still stylish. There was a look of intensity in his eyes I dunno if I've seen before."

"Sasuke used to play the piano as a child. He picked up the guitar on his own. Drums, too. I had friends who played in bands, so they tried to teach him a few things, as well. I think that's when he started to really get into the local music scene... but after our parents died, he stopped playing entirely and only hung out with musicians."

"That must be why he's so good at his job now. Can probably relate more to them since he could play if he had to. I'd love to see that, though. I knew he could play a little, but he's never done it in front of me. I think once we were at a friend's house, and he played _House of the Rising Sun_ on the keyboard, but I guess I didn't think anything of it. He can sing, too. Damn. Maybe he could've been a rock star?"

"I think my brother could do anything he puts his mind to."

Naruto snorted. "That's the truth. I'm always in awe with how talented he is."

"Ah, speaking of my talented and exceptional younger brother, looks as though he's returned from the convenient errand I sent him on."

Indeed, Sasuke was pulling up in front of the house now. He felt a sudden urge to see and, perhaps, tackle him.

"Guess I'll go help him with the groceries," Naruto said hastily and headed for the entranceway, where quickly he slipped on his shoes. There was an umbrella hanging from one of the coat hooks, so he grabbed that since it was raining rather hard. He dashed out the door, jogging down the stairs as he popped open the umbrella. He ran up to provide cover for Sasuke while he opened the trunk and started collecting several bags of groceries.

"Let me take some," said Naruto, picking up several while holding the umbrella above both of their heads.

"Did you do anything I should know about while I was gone?" Sasuke asked.

"Nope, just hung out with Itachi. We talked about stuff, made out a little, you know. Nothing worth being concerned about."

"Good, because I was worried you'd try to look at those photo albums."

"Pssht, don't you know me at all, Sasuke? Why would I invade your privacy like that after you told me not to."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Right."

"Let's go in, it's cold out here. Does it ever stop rainin' in this place?"

"Rarely," Sasuke answered as they began walking together toward the house.

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask questions about Yahiko's hair color, about girls he'd dated, and about the electric guitar, but then he remembered he wasn't supposed to know about all of that. Dammit. He should've asked Itachi more about it when he'd had the chance.

As they stepped onto the porch, Naruto lowered the umbrella and held the door open for his boyfriend.

"After you," he said with a smirk, admiring Sasuke's butt on the way in. He definitely grew up a lot in the years following high school. That was no wonder, considering he knew his boyfriend's workout regime, and that shit was intense. Even for him.

"Naruto? Are you coming in?"

"Oh, uh yeah. I'm comin'." He grinned and shut the door behind him, taking off his shoes and setting them beside Sasuke's. "So, what are you gonna do while Itachi and I make dinner?"

Sasuke waited at his side. "Check my e-mails probably. Maybe take a shower. Unless you want me to help you?"

"No. S'cool. I imagine we can handle it. I'll come and get you when it's ready. Let me take those." Before Sasuke could protest, he took the two bags he'd been carrying. "Chill for a while. I've got this."

Sasuke gave him a funny look. "...Okay."

"Kiss first?"

Though he appeared suspicious, Sasuke leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

"Don't burn down my parents' house," Sasuke told him before walking down the hallway.

Naruto sighed, slapped a smile on his face, and made his way to the kitchen, where Itachi was already getting out a few pots and pans.

"Ready to make dinner?" Naruto asked.

Itachi came up to him and took several of the bags, setting them on the counter. "I am. Since you were so good at slicing the tomatoes earlier, I'll let you handle the veggies."

"Works for me."

"Would you be interested in some wine while we cook?"

"Oh god, yes," he said. "I feel all uptight suddenly. Dunno why. Probably just excited from seein' those photos, I guess. Weird, huh?"

"I don't think so," said Itachi, a small smile forming on his lips. "It seems a perfectly normal reaction to me. I may be biased, but my brother was a very cute kid."

"He's still a cute kid if you ask me."

Itachi opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of white wine. He poured Naruto a glass and handed it to him.

"It's interesting that while you're not attracted to men, you're still able to be attracted to him? I know that it's a personal question, but your situation has me greatly intrigued."

"Uuuh." Naruto took a sip of the wine. "If you're worried about me hurting him or anything - "

"No, maybe I should apologize. In fact, I'm quite confident that you care very much for my brother. I'm just curious about you. As a person."

"Oh." Naruto didn't know what to say to that and, frankly, it made him feel embarrassed. "I've thought about it a lot, y'know. I think it's easier to have those feelings when you love someone? It didn't happen right away, and at first, I wasn't sure if I even could see him that way. You would think that, if he and I have a physical relationship, and sorry if this grosses you out in any way - "

Itachi held up a hand. "It's fine. Continue."

"That, y'know, maybe I would look at guys and think about sex. But I don't. I'm not attracted to men the way I am women, but I am attracted to Sasuke and all his parts because I love him and can't see myself with anyone but him. Man, though. When I say it out loud, it doesn't sound as good as it does in my head? Even I think it's strange sometimes, that I'm with a guy when I'm not into guys at all. Never even considered it until the night I met him."

"Sasuke might've mentioned you had been in a serious relationship prior to the both of you getting together."

"Wow, he sure talks a lot, doesn't he?" Naruto laughed.

"To be fair to him, it's not that he tells me directly. Sasuke doesn't gossip, but he does talk of you frequently when we're on the phone. I could tell, from the day after the two of you met that something was going on with him. He didn't tell me he had a date, but he was so oddly...excitable. And talkative. I knew something was up even if he didn't mention anything about meeting someone or what you were like specifically. I had to pull that out of him, of course. And now you're here."

"I am," he said, smiling at the idea that he could in any way affect Sasuke's moods like that, even at the beginning.

"I don't mean to sour the mood, but one of the reasons I'm happy we were able to meet is that should the outcome of the trial result in a guilty verdict... I'll know that there is someone who'll take care of him once I'm gone."

Naruto's eyes went wide and the glass started to slip from his hand, but somehow, Itachi caught it before it came close to smashing on the floor.

"Sorry," he said, "I didn't - "

Itachi handed him the glass. "He's the most important person in the world to me, Naruto. Even if he attempts to push you away or withdraw from the world like he did when Mother and Father died, do what you can to keep him from coming to harm or making poor choices."

Naruto had a lot of things he could say to that, lots of ways it was making him feel, but in the end, there was no other option but to agree.

"I understand," he said. "You can count on me. I'll take care of Sasuke and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid or unreasonable."

"Hearing that makes me feel very relieved." Itachi bit his lip in a surprisingly nervous gesture before saying, "Thank you."

"No problem," Naruto said quietly. "I think m'gonna need some more wine, though."

Itachi chuckled darkly. "Of course."

* * *

><p>Later on in the night, after dinner and an hour or so of conversation among the three of them, Naruto made a very discreet departure so that the brothers could talk for a while in private. To pass the time, he hung out in Sasuke's bedroom, inspecting all of the various photos and concert tickets. He texted Kiba a couple of times, but he must've been busy because he hadn't responded after 20 minutes. Naruto crawled on top of Sasuke's bed and lay down.<p>

Sliding an arm under his head, he stared at the ceiling. He was too antsy to endure all this quiet, so he ended up calling his Dad.

"Hey Dad," he said. "Miss me yet?"

"You've been gone a day, but yes, your Dad misses you very much. How's it going so far?"

"Uh, maybe pretty good? Yeah, good, I think." He squinted at the ceiling fixture.

"You don't sound sure. How's Sasuke doing?"

"He's havin' a conversation with Itachi at the moment. I think it'll be a while."

"That's good, right? They probably have a lot to talk about. So, tell me what you think of Itachi?"

Naruto switched the phone to his other ear. "I like him. A lot. I don't know who I feel worse for, him or Sasuke. I think they're both handling it in their own ways. Itachi's holding it in, and Sasuke's, well, a tad angry and broody at times."

"All you can do is be there for him, Naruto. Oh, here comes Ollie. He must've sensed I was talking to you. Want me to put him on the phone?"

Naruto groaned. "No, Dad, you don't need to - "

He heard a series of questioning meows in the background and started to grin.

"Ollie, hey kitty, hey boy," he said.

"He's tilting his head," said Minato.

"Has he eaten today?"

"Yeah, he ate out of his kitty bowl. We've been hanging out. Maybe I should think about getting a cat?"

"That might be cool. Then your cat and Ollie could have playdates."

"You sound a little down. Are you okay?"

"Hm. I think so." He threw his arm across his eyes. "Maybe I'm just tired. We went to bed late."

"You're not young anymore, keep that in mind. Anything else new?"

"I got to see photos of Sasuke's parents, so that was pretty cool. Sasuke didn't want me to go through all of the old albums, but Itachi sent him off on an errand, and I was able to see pictures of him when he was a little kid and then when he was in high school."

"That sounds fun. Is he very different from when he was younger?"

"I don't know. I mean, he looks the same, but... it's weird. He seemed different, too. Maybe it's just that it's a whole other Sasuke I'll never get to know. Either 'cause he was just younger or, y'know, did he really change that much after his parents died?"

"You know how it feels to lose a parent at a young age, Naruto, so I'm sure out of anybody, you'd be able to understand how that can change someone. Anyone who experiences loss and pain may always carry it with them, and everyone has different coping mechanisms."

Naruto sighed. "I know. Sorry, like I said. Just tired. I won't keep you, though. Maybe I'll go take a shower."

"Okay, well. Call me if you need anything. Ollie says goodnight."

"Tell him I said good night, too." He smiled. "Night, Dad."

"Goodnight, son."

Naruto held up his phone, staring at the screen long enough that it eventually went black. He set it over on the table, and for a few minutes, simply lay there in thought. It kind of felt like he was hitting a low after a surge of adrenaline, but he wasn't especially tired, so he dragged himself off of the bed and over to his suitcase. He rummaged through it for some sweatpants. There was a bathroom across the hall, and as he left the room, he glanced down the hallway, but he couldn't hear anything. He figured they were probably in Itachi's room.

When he entered the bathroom, he closed the door but left it unlocked in case Sasuke needed to come in for any reason. After getting undressed, he stepped into the shower and turned it on, leaning against the wall for support as he closed his eyes. He kept thinking about what Itachi said, and it made him wonder if he was covering all bases, or if he really had serious doubts about the verdict. God, he didn't even want to think about it, so he forced his mind to go blank while he started washing his hair with whatever shampoo was already in there. At least he hoped it was shampoo, because, honestly, he wasn't paying much attention. He soaped up a rag and scrubbed his body until his skin turned raw and red. When he finally seemed to snap out of it, he rinsed himself off, got out of the shower, and pulled on the pair of sweatpants.

Heading into the bedroom, he dumped his pile of clothes near the suitcases. Still no sign of Sasuke, though. He wandered over to the bookshelf and nosed through some of the book titles. He'd read a lot of them before and ended up picking out something by Terry Pratchett. Naruto dropped back onto the bed, head resting on a pillow, and began to read. He was probably 30 pages in when the door finally opened.

He set the book on his stomach and glanced up. "Hey."

"Hey," Sasuke replied and shut the door. He stood there, looking at Naruto as if he couldn't decide on something, but then he ended up walking to the edge of the bed. He noticed the book Naruto was reading. "It's one of my favorites."

"You okay?" Naruto asked, because, Sasuke did not look okay at all, but at least he didn't seem pent up with rage.

Sasuke shrugged, put a knee on the bed, paused, and then crawled up on it so that he could sit next to Naruto's feet. He grabbed hold of his ankle and squeezed it.

Naruto picked up the book and set it on the side table, beside his phone. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I've been talking to my brother this entire time. I'm tired of talking, to be honest."

"Okay."

They sat in silence for some time before Sasuke slid over and lay next to him, shifting onto his side. Naruto studied his boyfriend's face, waiting to see how he could help. Really, they were just kind of staring at each other, not saying anything, and then, abruptly, Sasuke took hold of his chin and kissed him.

The instant their lips touched, Naruto automatically shut his eyes. The kiss was very slow, but incredibly passionate. He felt Sasuke's palm press flat against his stomach, which caused his mouth to open wider to his searching tongue. The sexual tension escalated rapidly once the hand on his stomach skimmed purposefully lower, underneath the waistband of his pants and over his cock. The kissing came to a stop when Sasuke leaned back a few inches, just watching Naruto's reaction as he started to pump him.

Naruto rubbed his lips together as he watched Sasuke.

"Feel good?" Sasuke asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah." He bit his lip and gave a glance down at Sasuke's hand.

"Are you making a habit of not wearing underwear after you shower?"

Naruto smiled. "I thought I'd keep myself accessible should you be interested."

"Mm. I see. You're very thoughtful." Sasuke pulled his hand out of Naruto's pants, licked across his palm, and put it right back, but only after he'd tugged the sweatpants further down his hips.

Sasuke lay his head on the pillow, and, together, they watched his moving hand as if they hadn't done this a hundred times. When he closed his eyes, he felt Sasuke's mouth at his throat - sucking and licking, marking him. He opened his eyes when Sasuke slid lower down his body and took Naruto's stiffening cock into his mouth.

Sasuke grasped Naruto's thighs, pushing his legs further apart while Naruto placed a hand on the back of Sasuke's head, mesmerized with just seeing himself sliding in and out of his mouth, wetting the shaft with his saliva.

"What did I do to deserve this?" he murmured.

Sasuke glanced up, but didn't say anything. Probably difficult to respond with a mouth full of cock.

As Naruto applied more pressure to the back of his head, Sasuke started to take him deeper, his dark eyes pinching shut when he began thrusting into his mouth. He removed his hand from the back of Sasuke's head and dropped it to the side, simply enjoying the show until, after a few more minutes, Sasuke traveled his way back up his body and kissed him hard on the mouth. While they kissed each other, he returned to jerking Naruto off, twisting his grip as it slid just under the head of his cock and then a firm squeeze when he stroked downward. It was a bit rougher than usual, but it felt really good.

"Your bed's loud," Naruto said when Sasuke went back to sucking at his neck.

Sasuke picked his head up. "Just imagine how loud it's going to be when I'm actually fucking you."

Naruto growled. "Take your shirt off."

Impatient for more, he reached for it, but Sasuke grabbed his hand - eyes narrowed and almost angry. He let go of Naruto, and, on his own, slipped his shirt off over his head. His sweatpants, which were already down around his knees, got discarded onto the floor somewhere, too. Sasuke undid his belt buckle, and, wordlessly, got off the bed.

He went over to his suitcase, where he was obviously seeking out the lube they'd brought from home. After he found it, he sat at the edge and removed his jeans. Once off, Sasuke got on his knees and made his way to the center of the bed. While Naruto was lying there watching him, Sasuke grabbed behind his thighs and pushed his legs into the air so that he could settle between them. He pulled Naruto's legs to rest across his thighs and lay down on top of him, taking both of their cocks in his hand and fisting them with that same fast and rough pace he used earlier.

Cupping the back of his boyfriend's neck, Naruto sought out his mouth while Sasuke moved back and forth on top of him. He wondered if Sasuke was feeling the same way right now? Naruto almost felt like he needed this.

Sasuke's hand slowed as he started to kiss the corner of Naruto's mouth. "You're this hard already?"

"I had a lot of time to think about you while you weren't here," he replied, hearing the click of the lube.

Sasuke smeared some quickly over his crack and then a little on his own cock. His hand was still slick as he gave Naruto one more pull. "Anything in particular or just the usual about how good looking I am?" He smirked down at Naruto, reached for his thighs, and, dragging him over the sheets, practically yanked him into his lap.

Naruto laughed at him. "What's up with you?"

"I'm kind of horny if you hadn't already noticed."

"So, you decided to take me up on that offer of using me as a stress ball?"

Sasuke lifted him up at the hips and slid across his body again until they were face to face. "You don't want me to fuck you?" He ran his hands up and down Naruto's sides. "Or," he smirked. "Should I make love to you?"

He searched Sasuke's face to see if he was kidding. "You don't want to make love to me?"

Sasuke nipped at his lips, rocking against the lower half of his body. "Nice and slow it is," he said. "You haven't bottomed since the other night with the toy."

"I'm fine," he said, pushing Sasuke's hair out of the way.

Sasuke, moving off of him, went back to letting Naruto's spread legs rest on top of his thighs. He took hold of Naruto's hips and started to turn him over.

"Roll onto your side," he said to Naruto.

* * *

><p>"Could you go any deeper in me? Jesus," he gasped.<p>

Sasuke bit him on the shoulder again, dropping his hips lower and entering him at a more upward angle. He lay down on Naruto's back, winding his arm underneath Naruto's armpit and pulling him tight against his body. "How about that?" he whispered in his ear, causing every single hair on his body to stand on end.

Naruto looked at him over his shoulder, wanting a kiss. Clearly, Sasuke wanted it, too. He crushed their mouths together, hips still moving against him - until, with their tongues sliding together, Sasuke began to pick up the pace.

"Fuck," he muttered, grabbing for the pillow and pushing his face into it.

Sasuke grasped hold of his waist, lifted up off of his back, and rolled him over until he was flat on the bed. He put his shoulders under Naruto's knees and lunged forward, bending him at the waist as he penetrated him again. Sasuke's stomach rubbed across his cock as he took one of Naruto's nipples into his mouth and sucked rather hard.

"Sasuke," he moaned, pushing his fingers through Sasuke's hair, arching his back.

Sasuke got up on his knees, gripping Naruto's thighs and keeping his legs spread apart. With the hold he had on Naruto's thighs, he was forced to meet Sasuke's thrusts, which were a series of four or five fast jerks, followed by two slower ones that hit different spots each time. Finally, Sasuke picked up Naruto's legs and folded on top of him until his knees were nearly on either side of his shoulders.

"God," Naruto groaned. "Is this payback for last night?"

Sasuke panted against his neck. "Something like that," he said, licking up the side of his throat before capturing his mouth in a hungry kiss.

* * *

><p>Sasuke's chest touched his back - he nipped at Naruto's skin and gripped him tightly at the shoulder, nearly forcing him to rise to his fingertips.<p>

With a loud cry, Naruto came, spurting into his hand, and, barely finished, he got pushed onto his side and rolled over. Sasuke straddled his waist and jerked himself off over Naruto's chest. He kept his eyes on Sasuke's angry red cock, his mouth open slightly, tongue peeking out as Sasuke's narrowed gaze was on his face. With a grunt, Sasuke came, his spunk shooting out of him and onto Naruto's chest, on his face, and even a little on his lips. He wrapped an arm around Sasuke and brought him down on top of him, kissing him fiercely.

Sasuke licked the side of his mouth, catching his own cum on the tip of his tongue before claiming Naruto's lips again. The intensity of the kisses lasted for several minutes, and even when it seemed as though they'd stopped trying to devour each other, Sasuke continued to drop kisses on his cheeks, the side of his neck, and on his chest. He swiped at some of the white staining Naruto's tanned skin, and Naruto, grabbing hold of Sasuke's wrist, took two of his fingers into his mouth and sucked on them until they were clean.

Sasuke kissed him one more time, and, still straddling him at the waist, put his hands on Naruto's shoulders. He moved his hands to Sasuke's waist.

"That was loud," said Sasuke, smirking. "Can't you control yourself?"

"Apparently not." Naruto flattened his palm against Sasuke's stomach, gazing at him warmly. "Feel better?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I almost don't mind that I have to go to the courthouse in the morning."

"Mm. Yeah, that blows."

Sasuke straightened up and stretched his left arm above his head, working out his shoulder. Naruto smiled at him and wrapped his fingers around Sasuke's penis, not doing anything in particular other than holding it.

"I love your dick," he said.

"...Good to know."

Naruto ran a finger along the side and then along the bottom, tracing its curve. "You like fucking me, right?"

"Are you talking to me or my penis now?"

Naruto snorted. "Whoever feels like answerin' first."

"I believe he already said his piece."

"He's not big on words, is he?" Naruto let go of him, gaze rising up to Sasuke's face. His cheeks were red and his hair was sticking to his forehead. "I wish I could go with you tomorrow. Do you want me to?"

Sasuke's lips thinned, and he turned to the side, glancing away as he swiped a hand across his chest. "No, I'll be fine. Just stay here and keep Itachi company."

"You don't think he heard us, do you?" It only occurred to him once or twice during sex to keep his voice down.

"It certainly wouldn't be the first time he's heard me have sex, so I wouldn't worry about it."

"Oh that's great, sit on top of me naked and bring up past fucks. Jerk."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"Punch your cock is what I'm gonna do. Put that thing away."

"But I thought you loved it," said Sasuke, leaning over him as he put his hands on either side of Naruto's head and kissed him on the chin. "At least I didn't leave scratch marks this time."

"Yeah, but my asshole is gonna need a few days to recover."

"I'll give it 12 hours."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "We'll see."

"Mind if I take a shower, or did you want to join me?"

"You go, I'll join you in a few. I'm gonna lay here a bit."

Sasuke kissed his cheek. "Okay."

He got off of Naruto and went to the suitcase to pick out a pair of pajama pants. He didn't even bother to clothe himself on his way to the bathroom. It made Naruto smile.

He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, resting his hand on his stomach. His ass fucking hurt like a bitch, so he already knew he'd be sore tomorrow. Not that it hadn't been great sex, but it felt more important that Sasuke relieve some stress before the morning's meeting with the lawyer.

After resting another few minutes like he'd said, he got off of the soiled white sheets and grabbed a pair of boxers out of his pile of clothes. Like Sasuke, he walked across the hall into the bathroom naked and shut the door behind him, joining his boyfriend, who seemed as content as a well-fed cat. He just hoped that it would last.


	5. Insecurities

In the morning, Naruto's eyes snapped open as if something relatively awful had been happening in his dream, but the instant he woke up, it all kind of faded from memory, growing fuzzier the harder he tried to recall it. He looked over at the other pillow to see whether he'd accidentally awoken Sasuke, which would've made him very angry at himself, but instead, he noticed Sasuke's feet near the pillow. He was laying the opposite way - with his head at the foot of the bed - and as Naruto moved into a sitting position, he noticed that Sasuke was reading the book he'd taken an interest in last night.

"Good mornin'," he yawned, scratching his stomach and giving a half attempt at stretching. "What time is it?"

"Early."

Oh, good. Sasuke sounded in a great mood already.

He decided to kill him with kindness. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not really. I'd ask if you did, but you tossed and turned all night."

"Did I?"

Sasuke's response was to flip another page, and mostly because he thought it might annoy him, Naruto grabbed for one of his ankles. Of course, Sasuke grunted and kicked his hand off.

"I'm trying to read before I have to get up and get dressed and go through a miserable amount of paperwork for 10 hours," he snapped.

Naruto made a face he was happy Sasuke wouldn't be able to see. "Really," he replied, being careful of his tone by speaking calmly, "Ten hours is a lot. I'm sure it won't go that long."

Again, Sasuke grunted, and, Naruto, holding in a breath that caused his cheeks to puff out a bit, threw the sheets off and crawled on top of them. He sat close to Sasuke, in the middle of the bed, his hip touching Sasuke's side. He stared at his naked back, the flawlessness of his skin, the definition of his muscles, and as he dropped his gaze, the way his pajama pants had ridden low enough that he caught a glimpse of crack.

Now, he understood that Sasuke was in a bad mood and entitled to it, but the image had already been burned into his brain, which immediately transferred the mental image to his crotch. Since Sasuke would rather read the book than talk, it seemed okay by him to perv a bit on his boyfriend. Objectively (or not), Sasuke had a great ass, which was why, after only a few more minutes of staring, Naruto scooted a little closer. If he thought he was being inconspicuous by humming "Cecilia," as he took a seat on the backs of Sasuke's thighs, he probably didn't think it through as well as he could have.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, though he didn't look away from his book.

"Humming," he answered and returned to doing as much while also taking hold of the waistband of Sasuke's pajama pants and dragging them just a half inch lower so he could really see more of the upward slopes of his butt.

"Since when did humming involve pulling down my pants?" Sasuke asked, still disinterested in what was going on behind him apparently.

"Do you like that book very much?" He facetiously asked in return while fighting the temptation to stick his thumb in Sasuke's buttcrack. "I like these little dimples on your lower back, Sasuke."

"Shut up."

"I'd ask you if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but considering the way you're layin' now, that'd be more than obvious."

"Very funny," Sasuke replied dryly. "Have you ever thought of being a stand-up?"

"Sometimes. Usually when I'm also fantasizin' about a boyfriend who talks nicely to me in the mornin'. He brings me breakfast in bed and blows me while I eat my cereal." He leaned over and placed a kiss to the middle of his back.

"You should give him my number, too," said Sasuke.

Asshole. Sitting up, Naruto stared at the back of his head - all that spiky, wild black hair he loved so much. He lifted up his right hand and brought it down with a hard smack on Sasuke's right ass cheek. It clearly had an effect on him, yet he merely stiffened for a handful of seconds, and turned another page. Well, if he was going to be that way. Naruto gave the pants another tug, placed a second kiss to the small of his back, and shifted down further on his legs. Remaining unfazed, Sasuke kept turning pages, so Naruto let his full weight fall against the lower half of his boyfriend's body and - while folding the waistband over - pressed his lips to the curve of the right cheek. Then, he kissed the other, mouth lingering there longer than the previous time. Slowly, he pulled at the pants more until they gathered below those sexy curves that were now taunting him when all he'd really wanted to do was kiss and (maybe bite them).

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, and he at least noted there was less hostility in his tone, but he still wouldn't give up the book.

"Kissin' your ass." He grinned, though Sasuke couldn't see it. "You should enjoy it since it happens so rarely."

"And that happens about as often as you're willing to lick it," Sasuke replied, finally turning over his shoulder to give him a flat, challenging look.

His first thought (beyond mild surprise) was to snap back at him just as sarcastically, but, instead, he languidly swiped his tongue up from the middle of his cheek to the top of its curve while keeping eye contact with him.

"Do you want me to lick it for you?" he asked gruffly.

Not waiting for an answer, he took both cheeks in his hands, gave them a squeeze, and then spread them apart a little. He ran his tongue downward, and just when he reached that part of his body where Sasuke's upper thigh joined his backside...he bit him. Having seen the movement out of the corner of his eye, he caught when Sasuke winced. He hadn't bitten very gently, that's for sure.

Naruto, looking away from Sasuke's face, became preoccupied with squeezing his ass, spreading him further as he made himself comfortable on top of his legs. He tugged the pants low enough to now have a nice view of Sasuke's scrotum and balls - which were always oddly appealing to him. He gave that all a lick, too, before opening Sasuke up further to him - excited by the way the muscle briefly clenched in anticipation right in front of his eyes. Easy to imagine that surrounding him, for sure, and just the memory of how it felt was turning him on.

Pushing the cheeks apart, he gave Sasuke's crack a couple of long, sensual licks until he started to tongue his hole with just the tip. He swirled it around several times - alternately squeezing Sasuke when he felt compelled for more room to work or just because his boyfriend seemed to react so strongly to it - and then, shutting his eyes, he thrust his tongue in and was rewarded with a quiet groan. Encouraged, he continued probing deeper, sometimes laving around his hole, and then a couple of longer licks that followed all the way to the base of his scrotum again.

He kept at it for what could've been forever, lulled and intrigued by the noises Sasuke made depending on where he touched with his fingers or tongue - or both. Sometimes Sasuke rocked back against him, but then Naruto would set his hand on the lower part of his back to still him. The more it went on, the looser Sasuke became, but as he really had no intention in doing anything other than getting his boyfriend off, it simply turned into "how long can Sasuke take this before he says something, shouts, begs, anything". But besides the muffled groaning and occasional murmur, Sasuke remained relatively stoic in his responses, just enduring it, which for Naruto, felt incredibly arousing for some reason.

After a while of pleasuring him with only his tongue, he slipped his hand underneath Sasuke and cupped his balls, fondling them while he used his other hand to keep him spread apart. When Sasuke started to rub against his palm, he reached further under him and took hold of his cock. He didn't do much but provide a loose hole with his fingers for Sasuke to slide into, but that seemed enough for his boyfriend since his quiet groans turned into loud grunts. To be honest, he really wasn't thinking much, and maybe that was the great thing about what they were doing. He simply focused all of his attention on Sasuke - his breathing, the movement of his body as he lay pinned underneath him, thrusting into his hand almost lazily - like he was trying to prolong the inevitable finish even though that had become Naruto's goal. Even if it meant Sasuke would have to get out of bed, get dressed, and leave him to go to this goddam thing Naruto wished he could get him out of since he'd only be subjected to a fucking terribly stressful day and then come home tired, angry, or sad.

He tried to let go of these thoughts as he buried his face in Sasuke's ass until, with a very, very loud groan of his name that nearly caused Naruto to come in his boxers, Sasuke reached what felt like a powerful climax while pushing back against him and ejaculating into his hand. When it was over, he dropped flat against the bed, Sasuke's breathing heavy in the otherwise quiet room. Gently, Naruto gave his hole one or two last licks before he pulled his hand out and wiped it across his boxers. He squinted an eye shut as he accidentally brushed his hand across this nice little tent that had formed in his shorts, but, reeling it in, he got off of Sasuke's legs and sat cross-legged next to him.

Sasuke was still lying there, almost as if he'd fallen asleep, so Naruto pulled his pants up to where they belonged and placed a hand on the small of his back. He leaned down one last time and kissed at a spot near his shoulder blade.

"You should probably get goin', Sasuke," he urged softly.

Sasuke gave no response, and he did consider cracking a stupid joke to lighten the mood except... there was just nothing that could be said to make any of this better.

"Alright, well," he ran his eyes over Sasuke worriedly, "I'm gonna go wash my hand then."

He started to get up but right before he reached the corner of the bed, Sasuke suddenly gripped his wrist, tugging at his arm hard enough that it almost hurt. Naruto was looking at him, but Sasuke remained facing the other side of the room. He waited for Sasuke to say something, anything at all, but the minutes ticked by and he didn't say a word. Not that he had to. He could sense it all through just that touch... the fear, the anxiety... it was all so... unfair. He wished he could take it all into himself, but he couldn't.

Finally, Sasuke let go, cleared his throat, and said in a hoarse voice, "Would you... mind giving me a minute?"

"...You sure?" He asked, not wanting to leave at all.

"Yes," and there was a pause before he added, "Please, Naruto."

Reluctantly, Naruto got off the bed, went to the door, gave the man he loved one last look over his shoulder, and left the room.

* * *

><p>While Naruto was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, Sasuke came in, dressed in a pair of dark gray slacks and a white button-up shirt. He offered Naruto the smallest of smiles before reaching for his toothbrush - which he'd already set out for him beside the toothpaste. Naruto finished first and took a seat on the toilet, sometimes looking at his hands and sometimes looking up at Sasuke to gauge how he was doing.<p>

Sasuke took a moment to spit, "I can feel you watching me."

"Sorry," he said.

Sasuke frowned at him and then set aside his toothbrush, washed his face again, and checked his hair in the mirror.

"We'll talk when I get home," he said, glancing at Naruto.

"Okay. Whatever you want."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his expression mixed with something he almost thought was annoyance.

"What do you want me to say?" Naruto asked him.

Sasuke's expression flattened even further. "Nothing. I'll see you later."

He left the bathroom, and Naruto could hear the sound of his footsteps echoing down the hallway. He stared at his hands again; they were resting in his lap, palms turned up toward the ceiling. Bending each fingertip as if they'd been pricked by a needle, Naruto let out a heavy sigh. Well, at least now he remembered why rimjobs weren't his thing if all it did was give Sasuke a minor mental breakdown. See if he'd be doing that again anytime soon. Still, though. He'd expected that to go a lot better. Usually sex relaxed Sasuke considerably, but maybe he was wound more tightly than he realized. Hm.

He really didn't know just how long he'd been sitting there when there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was Sasuke, he got up and opened it.

"Oh, hey," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head when he saw that it was Itachi.

"Sorry, I didn't hear the shower running, and since my brother was being more temperamental than usual as he was departing, I thought..."

"I don't... think we had a fight?" He said. "But I'm not sure."

"Forgive him. Sasuke's temper doesn't always allow him to be adept at handling stress."

Naruto felt a small tick of anger, and it almost slipped out for him to say And just whose fault do you think that is?, but it wasn't fair, and it wasn't Itachi that had him feeling pissed off about being so useless to Sasuke.

"I'm sure he's doing the best he can," Naruto replied. "So, what are your plans for the day?"

"The same as every day, I suppose. Hang out. Not leave the house."

He grinned, opening the door wider. "Heh. Is it weird if I ask to see your tracking bracelet?"

"It is weird, but I don't mind showing you." Itachi pulled up his pant leg. "I think it might be more of an anklet. I'm not sure of the technical term."

"So, what happens if you pass the boundaries or border or whatever of the yard?"

"I get electrocuted," Itachi replied with a straight face.

"Holy shit! Really?"

"No, of course not." Itachi smirked. "Some guy in an office somewhere gets a notification from a computer program that monitors people like me. I imagine that eventually police would arrive, and I would be escorted to jail, which I have to tell you, is not a very fun place to be."

"Hm. I wouldn't know, I guess. Except this one time in high school when a friend and I sorta borrowed a motorcycle. We got off with a warning though since the guy knew my Dad."

"Maybe tell me about it while we make breakfast? I'll let you put on some clothes first."

Naruto looked down at himself, remembering he was only clad in boxers.

"Those are some interesting scratch marks on your chest," said Itachi. "I suppose they're from... Mother's cat?"

He had to laugh because it was so clearly obvious that Itachi knew better. "Now that I think about it, he does sometimes remind me of a cat."

"I'm sure. Well, I'll leave you to your privacy. Join me in the kitchen when you're ready."

"Mmkay," he said, sliding his hand through his hair, ruffling it in the back.

"Don't worry about him," Itachi said as he started to shut the door. "Knowing Sasuke, he's probably already beating himself up for anything he might've done or said to you."

"It's fine," Naruto replied, forcing a half-smile. "It's not like I'm takin' it personally or anything."

* * *

><p>After he got dressed in an old pair of faded light-wash jeans with a hole in the knee, a plain white t-shirt, and navy zip-up hoodie, Naruto padded his way toward the kitchen. He stopped at the threshold when he saw Itachi getting out a few items from the refrigerator.<p>

"Would you prefer waffles or pancakes?" Itachi asked, and Naruto felt an odd sense of déjà vu.

"Whatever you want is fine," he answered.

"How about pancakes then?"

"Sure," he said. "Sounds good. What can I do?"

"Keep me company." The older man reached into one of the lower cabinets to grab what looked to be a griddle. "You don't want anything special in them do you? Fruit? Chocolate chips?"

"Uuuh. Yeah. If you have some, chocolate chips. Sasuke doesn't let me put fun things in my pancakes."

Itachi went to retrieve them from another cabinet. "That's odd as he used to like them when he was young."

"Really? Because he's not much of a sweets person. At least not since I've known him."

Itachi paused a moment - he was in the middle of cracking an egg - and then continued with his task. "He does like to be his own person."

Naruto snorted. "That he does." He took a step or two closer, although he didn't want to hover. But, he really did like watching people cook. Sasuke scolded him for it sometimes. "Ah, by the way. Remind me to check on the ATV battery. I let it charge over night. Sasuke said that it belongs to a friend of yours?"

"Yes. I have quite a few friends interested in ATVs, motorbikes, motorcycles, all kinds of outdoor sports."

Out of habit, Naruto hopped up and sat on the counter. "That's cool. I've always wanted a motorcycle, but my Mom thought it was too dangerous. I've ridden several times, but I haven't been willing to make the financial sacrifice, I guess. If I'm gonna buy one, I'd like a decent bike."

"I can think of a few people I could introduce you to if you were staying longer. I had a friend visit not so long ago, and he was also a fan of motorcycles, but I'm not sure you'd like him personally. Then again, if Kisame still lived in Seattle, I'd introduce you to him. He's far more patient than Hidan would be, and more likely to share his knowledge."

Naruto leaned over nosily as Itachi started to pour the batter onto the hot griddle. "There was a guy at the club we went to who said he'd seen a lot of your old friends in town lately. Are they able to visit you often?"

"More than I expected, yes. They just have to give the courthouse and lawyer a few hours notice. Like what you and Sasuke had to do."

He nodded. "Cool. It's gotta get pretty boring bein' stuck here. There's probably only so much TV you can watch or video games you can play."

"I try to think of it as an extended vacation. Honestly," he glanced over at Naruto, metal spatula in hand, "I was working an incredible amount of hours per week. I was hardly even keeping in touch with Sasuke. I didn't even know he'd temporarily gone to Europe until a month after he'd left for England. Now, I can call him every day and bug him as much as I want."

Naruto chuckled. "I don't think you bug him at all. I think it's pretty clear how badly he wanted to see you."

"Given the circumstances maybe, but we haven't always gotten along. As a teenager, let's just say while he was somewhat amusing at times, he could also be a bit of a brat."

"I love Sasuke and all," said Naruto, "But yeah, you sayin' that wouldn't really surprise me. I have this theory that good lookin' guys don't get called out as much when they act like jerks sometimes."

"Does that hold true for yourself, Naruto?" Itachi asked.

He didn't understand at first. "What do you mean?"

Itachi stared at him blankly for a few seconds. "Because you're also an attractive man."

He instantly felt his face heat up and had to look away, mumbling something unintelligible even to himself.

"I apologize," Itachi said, "I didn't say that to embarrass you."

"Er." Naruto scratched the back of his neck, squinting one eye shut and fidgeting nervously on the counter. "It's just... I kinda suck with compliments. Anyway, I wasn't anyone special in high school. Played on some sports teams, and yeah..."

"Interesting," Itachi eyed him curiously. "You really have no idea the type of men I've seen my brother with before, do you? Even more than yesterday, I feel that him being able to meet and actually get you to care for him is a miracle."

"I guess I'll never understand unless I can find a time machine. I know he says there hasn't really been anyone he cared enough to date them for a long period of time, but... didn't really sound like that was what he was lookin' for anyway."

"I suppose not. Do you mind grabbing a plate? You know where they are."

"Sure." Naruto reached into the cabinet that was just behind him and grabbed a couple of the plates. He slid them closer to Itachi, who put a few pancakes on each.

"I'll assume you like syrup?" Itachi asked, turning off the stove.

"Definitely." He jumped off the counter and rummaged around the cutlery drawer for two forks and two butter knives while Itachi got out the syrup as well as a tub of margarine from the refrigerator. "Thanks for makin' these."

"Of course. It gave me an excuse to put in some chocolate chips. I'm not sure it's something a man my age should be doing alone."

"Feh." Naruto handed him his silverware.

They both poured themselves a glass of milk, and, instead of going into the TV room, they went into the dining room and sat at the antique oval table that easily could have accommodated eight to ten people.

"Do you like livin' here?" He suddenly asked, having been thinking that this was a fairly large house for just one person.

"I've considered downsizing, but I think Sasuke would kill me if I sold our parents' home. Or, then again, maybe he's thinking he'd like to move back here someday."

Naruto almost started choking on his pancake. He set down his fork and took a drink of his milk. Itachi appeared amused.

"I didn't mean I think he'd want to anytime soon. Just maybe when he's older and ready to settle down. Or have a family."

Naruto coughed. "Sasuke... wants to have a family? You think?"

"Don't you?"

"Err... yeah. I do. At some point. Maybe. I don't know. I'm going to try and eat this pancake now without chokin' on it."

"Have some more syrup." Itachi passed the plastic bottle his way. "I can't say I'd mind being an uncle."

"I think maybe we'll just try to get through this week without killin' each other before we start considering a family."

"True," Itachi said, a twinkle in his eye. "I doubt Sasuke'd be ready to give up his freedom. He's my brother, but he does have a selfish streak."

"I dunno," Naruto argued, "He takes pretty good care of me."

Itachi laughed while sucking off some syrup from his thumb. "I'm happy to hear that. He has always been particularly protective of the ones he loves. However few that number has been."

Naruto pushed around a piece of pancake in the pool of syrup on his plate, a corner of his mouth scrunching to the side. "Wonder if he's doin' okay."

"He won't come home in the best of moods."

"I figured. Is there a place that he really likes to eat around here? I could always pick up some carry out. Although, I have no car. Guess they'd have to deliver."

"You could always take mine," Itachi suggested.

He dropped his fork on the plate. "You'd let me drive your car?"

Itachi smirked. "I can think of something Sasuke may like. There's a store nearby, too. If you wanted to pick up some alcohol, as well."

"That sounds good. Let's do that."

"Well," Itachi checked his watch, "Considering it's only a little after 10 a.m., what do you think we should do until then?"

"Anything we want, I'd say." Naruto grinned.

Itachi pointed his fork at him. "Don't forget to check the battery."

"Ah, yeah. Thanks for the reminder. I'll do that and then maybe we can play some Rock Band or somethin'. I haven't played that in ages, but I saw you've got the equipment for it."

"It's Sasuke's, if you can believe it. From high school."

Somehow, that made him even more excited to play it. "What did he like to do most? Guitar or drums?"

"What makes you think he didn't always choose the microphone?"

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Seriously?!"

Itachi shrugged. "He was perfect at all three."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," he remarked.

"Indeed," said Itachi. "He is my brother, after all."

* * *

><p>Later on in the afternoon, after they'd worn themselves out playing Rock Band, Call of Duty, and Battlefield, Naruto decided to take a shower. Though, before he did that, as casually as he could possibly manage, he asked Itachi where he might find some new sheets for Sasuke's bed. Apparently, there is actually no way of being casual about such a request. There should be some in the hallway closet, however, Itachi informed him.<p>

While making his way up the stairs, he heard Itachi's phone start to ring. He paused on the steps, but it didn't sound as if it was Sasuke, so not wanting to eavesdrop, he went into the bedroom, where he ended up doing more than changing the sheets. They hadn't unpacked their suitcases, and Sasuke had clothes in his that should be put on hangers, so Naruto set about hanging his slacks and nicer shirts in the closet while he put everything else in the drawers. He hung some of his own stuff, but he felt sort of odd about commandeering all the drawers, and he was fine with living out of a suitcase. Once he was done tidying the place, he checked his phone to see if there were any messages or missed calls from Sasuke - not like he'd heard it go off - and clearly it hadn't for a reason. There was nothing from him yet.

Feeling a little annoyed, Naruto dug out a lightweight sweater, a pair of jeans without any holes in them, some red boxer briefs, and a pair of black socks, all of which he left in a pile on the foot of the bed.

He ended up taking a long shower. There were a lot of things on his mind, though he wasn't focusing on any one thing in particular. Just trying to figure some stuff out. Maybe a better strategy for how he could get Sasuke to open up more to him. They hadn't fought a whole lot since they'd been together, the worst time being when he'd agreed to go to that wedding with Hinata. He'd thought that... being patient and understanding was the best method, but now he wasn't so sure. Punching him in the face wasn't an option either, or was it?

Well, Sasuke had said they would talk when he got back, so maybe it would be best to wait until then. It's not like he wanted to pick a fight - how could that possibly be a good idea when the amount of stress his boyfriend was under seemed perfectly understandable?

Ah, well. Naruto remained under the spray of the hot water a little longer before he decided to get out. He wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed for another smaller one to use on his hair. Since he hadn't shaved in a while, he picked out an extra razor from Sasuke's all-purpose toiletry bag. When done, he started walking across the hallway to the bedroom, but stopped when he thought he heard two voices coming from the living room.

That was a relief. He'd figured Sasuke would still be there another hour or two. For a second, he considered that maybe he should go into the bedroom and put some clothes on, but it's not like Itachi hadn't seen him in his boxers earlier, and he was kind of really eager to see how Sasuke was doing and what had happened with the lawyers.

As Naruto rounded the corner for the living room, he plastered on a grin, "See, I told you it wouldn't take ten hours - "

Oh.

Not Sasuke.

Itachi sat on the couch with another man around his age, and though it took a minute to process, Naruto knew that face from somewhere. The moment of recognition caused him to experience this very strange feeling of his stomach dropping into his butt.

"Sorry," he said, glancing from one man to the other. "I thought..." He cleared his throat. "Uh, hi. I'm Naruto. I don't usually run around naked, but I kinda thought you were Sasuke, which you're clearly not..." He looked to Itachi for help when he couldn't get himself to stop rambling.

Itachi was smirking. "Naruto, this is a friend of mine from college."

The man - ginger hair, tattoos on his biceps, multiple facial piercings, incredibly fucking good looking - stood up from the couch and held out his hand.

"Naruto," he said, his manner and tone incredibly friendly despite the intimidating physique, "Itachi and I were just talkin' about you. I'm Yahiko."

How long he took before he grabbed Yahiko's hand, he had no idea. Though he couldn't get any words out immediately, he at least made sure to shake it.

"I'm sorry for the short notice with the call earlier. I wasn't expectin' to be back in the country so soon." He let go of Naruto's hand and turned to Itachi. "I wanted to see this guy before the end of the trial."

"Yahiko just came from the courthouse," Itachi explained. "He's only in town for the day."

"Oh," Naruto replied dumbly. "Did you...happen to see Sasuke there?"

Yahiko tilted his head. "I thought I saw him in one of the other lawyer's offices. Didn't want to bother him, though. Looked kinda busy." He shrugged and flashed a broad grin at him that really lit up his ridiculously handsome features.

Seriously. Of all the things he expected to deal with during this trip, this was definitely one that had never occurred to him.

"Naruto," said Itachi.

"Huh?"

"You're... dripping."

"What? Oh, right. Yeah. Maybe I'll go put some clothes on." He felt like such a fucking dumbass. "I'll be right back."

Nearly sprinting out of there, Naruto ran into the bedroom and sat heavily on the corner of the bed. Shit. Okay, not a big deal. Wasn't expecting that to happen, but so what? He was Sasuke's boyfriend, and Yahiko was just a guy who'd... fucked Sasuke before he'd ever known him. And was amazingly attractive. And Naruto had acted like a dipshit by running out there in just a towel, stuttering like an idiot. Also, did it seem like there might be more to whatever relationship they had with each other besides a one-night stand kind of thing?

Rather than sit around worrying about it, he got dressed, and after about 10 minutes, returned to the living room. He sat - not on the sofa - but on one of the chairs caddy corner to Itachi.

"If you want," Itachi said to him. "I'm sure Yahiko also has a lot of Sasuke stories he could tell you."

"It's weird to think little Sasuke has an actual boyfriend," said Yahiko, almost nostalgically. He looked comfortable on that couch, too, like he belonged there. One leg crossed, and an arm thrown along the top of the couch. He wore a tighter-fitting t-shirt in a mossy green color and dark denim jeans. There was a thick brown leather band on his left wrist, which is when Naruto also noticed a ring.

Though he wanted to ask about it, he kept his mouth shut. It wasn't any of his business.

"When he was a teenager, he used to visit Itachi at Stanford at least a few times a year. Isn't that right?" Yahiko asked Itachi.

"Yes, unfortunately. Not that it wasn't great having him visit, but it was difficult to keep an eye on him."

"I bet," Naruto said, barely able to hide the sarcasm from his voice. "So when did you two meet? Were you roommates?"

"We met sophomore year. Second semester," answered Itachi. "Yahiko had just transferred from Berkeley."

Yahiko gave a nod. "I thought about going into music, but then I had relatives who persuaded me I'd have a more lucrative career in business. Itachi and I had several of the same classes, and after a few conversations, we started to hang out. It turns out we had several mutual friends already."

"We were talking about Deidara last night," said Itachi. "Weren't we, Naruto? He was asking me if I'd ever seen Sasuke cross-dress before."

Rather than laugh, a slow smile crept its way across Yahiko's face. Naruto didn't know how to take that, and how could Itachi be so casual about the fact one of his good friends popped his little brother's cherry?

"I think Sasuke could easily pull that off," Yahiko commented and looked at Naruto. "Don't you?"

Naruto stared back evenly. "Yeah, I really do. Sasuke looks good in everything."

"Itachi told me you're from near Chicago. I hadn't realized that Sasuke moved from New York."

"Uh, yeah." Naruto slouched forward, clasping his hands between his legs. "Joliet actually. Sasuke commutes to Chicago. I suppose it's a bit of good luck that we met at all."

"Good luck, he says?" Yahiko smirked at Itachi. "Did you ever expect this day to come?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not really. There must be something very special about Naruto that he's been able to do this to Sasuke."

"I wouldn't go that far," Naruto said, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Sasuke's been moody since coming here," Itachi said to Yahiko. "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. You should stay for dinner."

Yahiko smiled another one of those amazingly sincere smiles, showing off his very white, perfect teeth. "I wish I could, but the fiancée is waitin' for me." He gave a brief wave of his hand, showing off the ring. "Besides, I don't want to intrude on a family moment."

"What are you talking about?" asked Itachi. "You know Sasuke and I consider you to be like family."

"Well," Yahiko's gaze dropped to the floor. "I'll stay a bit longer. I haven't heard from that little shit in a long time."

"I'll have to yell at him for being rude when he gets home," Itachi replied, even chuckling much to Naruto's annoyance. "You know, it's funny you should stop by today. Naruto's been servicing that ATV you left here more than a year ago."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that," said Yahiko, running a hand through his spiky hair. "It's difficult to take those things abroad. I'll have one of the guys come and get it. You know none of us think you'll go down for this, so... we'll all have to get together soon. Have a reunion."

At that point, Naruto didn't have much to offer in the way of small talk anymore because he was recalling how Sasuke had brushed off the owner of that ATV as being just a friend of Itachi's. It wasn't a huge deal, but it sort of bothered him that Sasuke purposely hadn't mentioned whose it was. Maybe it was childish to admit, but he might not have even considered riding the damn thing had he known, and he certainly wouldn't have gone to the trouble of charging the battery!

That kind of sucked.

"Naruto," he heard Itachi call him. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Uh, yeah," he said. "I... didn't sleep too great last night. I think it's just catchin' up to me is all."

"Well, in that case. Why don't I make everyone some tea. Or would you prefer coffee?" Itachi asked the two of them.

"Yeah, I'll have some coffee," Yahiko answered, and Naruto merely nodded.

This, of course, meant that Naruto was left alone with Yahiko.

Suddenly, punching Sasuke in the face didn't sound like such a bad idea.


	6. Norwegian Wood

Looking back, his parents had not raised him to be the kind of guy who would ever let an awkward silence reign for very long.

Naruto took in a deep breath and decided to put his own stupid insecurities aside. "So, um. What brings you into town? You're not livin' in the country anymore, you said?"

"Generally, I wanted to see Itachi because," Yahiko leaned forward, looking pensive now as he clasped his hands together between his knees, "Y'never know what will happen, but to answer your second question. Konan and I decided to move to Belize. Went there a few summers ago and never got it out of our heads. We started a furniture shop in a small town an hour north of the capital."

"Konan is your fiancee?" He asked for clarification, offering a genuine smile. "And, that's... actually pretty damn awesome. I dunno what's more cool, you decidin' to move to another country like that, or you startin' your own business."

"Konan is my fiancee, yeah. Sorry." Yahiko scratched the back of his head and gave an embarrassed smile. "Not used to sayin' that yet, I guess. We've been friends since we were kids and, later on, kinda realized we couldn't live without each other. She handles the business side of things, which is funny since I'm the one with the degree in it, and I design and construct the furniture. It's not like we're becomin' rich off of it or anything, but... it's a much slower pace of life than when we were living here or in California. Konan would've come with me today, but wasn't feelin' very well. They call it mornin' sickness, but it doesn't seem to only happen in the morning."

"Oh, man," he said, unable to hide his surprise at this news. "Congratulations. How does _that_ feel?"

"It's..." Yahiko tilted his head, grinning so proudly at Naruto that he felt any remaining awkwardness between them disappear. "It's really amazing. Life-changing, I should say. I wasn't always sure I wanted kids, and it was kind of a surprise to the both of us, but yeah. I can't wait to have a son or daughter to chase around the yard. We've got this cozy cottage by the water, that we basically built ourselves... and - "

Naruto's eyebrows drew up in anticipation as he leaned forward, too, mirroring Yahiko's position on the couch.

"Sorry again," he ended up saying to Naruto, running his hand through his hair, looking sheepish. "I get kind of carried away. I used to hate when friends would go on about their kids, but now I think I get it. Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about you and Sasuke. How long has it been?"

"About four months," he answered, rather touched by Yahiko's excitement and willingness to tell him all this.

Yahiko nodded. "As long as I've known that kid, he never seemed the type to want to settle down. We were closer before Mikoto and Fugaku passed away, but after that, he wanted to be left alone to do his own thing. I think we all worried about him, Itachi especially. We all were happy to hear he had the opportunity to go to New York, and I dunno if you know much about our friend Deidara, but he was pretty damn insistent that Sasuke come live with him, which was good. That way we could sorta keep an eye on him."

"I dunno what that time was like for Sasuke, but it does make me oddly happy that there were people lookin' out for him."

Yahiko grinned. "You're really alright with that guy? He's not too - "

"What? Broody? Sarcastic and sometimes cynical?" Naruto smirked. "He's all that, but I kinda love it. He's also extremely generous and selfless, funny, smart, and thoughtful. He's got a lot of shit goin' on obviously, so when it passes, and I'm with you, that I think it'll all turn out okay, but... yeah, I'll be happy when this week is over."

"I wonder what it says about me and my group of friends that none of us were all that surprised with what Itachi did. I know it puts Sasuke in a bad position, but Itachi's always been that sorta guy, with his principles and rigid moral compass."

"Yeah." Naruto glanced down at his lap. "Sasuke can also be like that sometimes. Just as intense. He doesn't care a whole lot what other people think, and when he wants something, he goes for it. I admire that in him." He started to smile. "Actually, I admire him a lot when I think about it. Always have."

Yahiko whistled. "Boy, Naruto. You've got it bad."

Tugging at his ear, Naruto blushed. "Sorry. Guess we both can't not brag about the things we're proud of, eh?"

"It's hard to stay cool sometimes, isn't it?" Yahiko asked. "Even though we're men."

"No shit. I think the day I have a kid, I'll bawl my eyes out."

"Ah, is that somethin' you and Sasuke have talked about?"

"What? No. Not really. Like, once. We have a cat. Or, well. Sasuke does. Ollie. You probably knew that already, though."

"Ollie? That ginger cat?" Yahiko scratched under his chin. "I thought it had a name Mikoto used to call it... funny, can't seem to remember."

Naruto shrugged. He kind of had other questions he wanted to ask, about Yahiko, about Itachi, about Sasuke, and even about their parents, but Itachi ended up walking in with two steaming mugs of coffee.

"Sorry it took so long," Itachi said. "Sasuke's on the phone, but I wanted to bring these to you." He sounded agitated. For him anyway. Yahiko might've noticed, too, because he shared a look with him, though brief.

Itachi left the room again, and the both of them continued to stare at each other questioningly until Yahiko reached for something out of his back pocket - a pack of cigarettes.

"You smoke?" He asked Naruto.

"No," he replied.

"Good." Yahiko grinned as he stuck the cigarette behind his ear. "Bad habit. I doubt Sasuke would let you anyway. Wanna step out on the deck with me?"

"Yeah. I could use some air," he said, taking his coffee with him.

Naruto opened one of the French doors since Yahiko had his hands full. He shut it behind them as they walked up to the railing and gazed out onto the yard. Yahiko set his mug down and pulled out a lighter.

"Would you mind?" he asked Naruto.

"No problem." He took the lighter from Yahiko and lit the end of the cigarette for him before returning it.

Yahiko pocketed it into his jeans and stood next to him. There existed a comfortable silence between them for a few minutes until Yahiko cleared his throat, "Usually I wouldn't ask this kind of personal question of someone I just met, but I'm kinda curious. Maybe I'm bein' presumptuous here, but... you haven't dated a lot of guys, have you, Naruto?"

"What makes you think that?" He asked, pretty nonplussed. There was something very calming about looking out at the backyard, especially the small garden and koi pond.

"Call it intuition," Yahiko replied. "I guess that's why I'm even more intrigued that you're with Sasuke."

"Intrigued?" He asked, glancing over.

"I almost feel... relieved," said Yahiko, looking back at him, the smallest of smiles playing at his lips. "I know Itachi well enough to understand he may feel the same, too."

Naruto didn't entirely know what that meant, but he didn't take offense to it either, and he got the distinct impression Yahiko wasn't all that interested in elaborating.

It didn't much matter.

The more Naruto considered any past the other man may have shared with Sasuke, it...wasn't any of his business. It seemed especially petty on his part to hold it against Yahiko since the guy had all these great things happening for him - soon to be wife, baby, living in a whole other country, building a house, starting a business. Even more so, he began to feel like a dick for being jealous, because it dawned on him that although this guy has his own life now, he's clearly still concerned about Sasuke and Itachi. He couldn't really fault a guy for being loyal. In fact, he thought they were similar in a few ways.

"I think I'm relieved, too," Naruto suddenly murmured. "And thankful."

"Hm?" Yahiko blew smoke in the other direction; Naruto simply shook his head.

"I wonder what Sasuke called for," he mumbled. "Maybe he'll be home soon."

"Hard to say."

"I feel like I'm not sure what he needs right now," Naruto confessed. "I must be doin' somethin' wrong." When he felt the hand on his shoulder, he glanced up.

"Nah, kid. Give it some time, let him do his thing, even if he acts like a bitch. Your feelings will get through to him."

"Hey," he said, smirking. "Did you just call my boyfriend a bitch?"

Smirking himself, Yahiko took his hand off of Naruto's shoulder. "Don't act like you haven't ever thought it from time to time."

"I usually phrase it differently," he replied with a chuckle. "We're both stubborn. He can be blunt and without tact, but so can I. He's pretty patient, and when he loses his cool, I typically think he's justified. Even if I'm the cause. Maybe this week is a bit different, but I understand why he acts the way he does. It's just a matter of not takin' it personally. I feel like I keep sayin' that." He frowned. "Not taking it personally."

"Maybe it's what you tell yourself because you'd feel like the bad guy if you got pissed at him for bein' a punk. Naruto, I've known Sasuke since he was 14 or 15. He's always been incredibly mature for his age, but he's still a kid with a lot to learn about life and relationships. Even now. If he acts up, let him know it. There's no excuse for takin' the ones you love for granted. I know you said you admire Sasuke, but he's not perfect. No one's perfect. We can accept our partner's flaws, we can even love those flaws... but don't lose track of yourself. Don't lose who you are." He turned and prodded Naruto in the chest with two fingers. "Fuck, listen to me. I already sound like an old man."

Naruto smiled lop-sidedly. "It's kinda funny you say that," he said softly, almost wistfully. "You sounded a lot like my Dad just then."

"Yeah?" Yahiko's smile was warm.

Naruto nodded. "You'll make a good Dad. No worries." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie.

"I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but if I was your age and didn't have a wife and kid on the way, I might have to give Sasuke a run for his money."

Naruto laughed, thinking he was joking until he actually looked at Yahiko and saw that cocky smirk on his face. He stopped laughing, cleared his throat, and glanced away out of embarrassment.

"Uh. I'm not sure how happy Sasuke would be about that."

"God, you _are_ a cute kid, Naruto. Makes me wanna beat Sasuke up if he's givin' you a hard time. Believe me. I've had to do it before."

"It's fine," he said, reaching for his neglected coffee. "I can handle it."

"What _exactly_ is it you think you can handle?"

Naruto and Yahiko both jumped when they heard Sasuke's voice (okay, well, Naruto did at least). Apparently neither heard the door open while they were talking. He wondered just how much of that conversation Sasuke heard. Naruto and Yahiko were standing fairly close together, elbows touching. They turned around at the same time, with him feeling guilty for some unknown reason.

Sasuke eyed the both of them warily. He looked tired and stressed out, which was becoming the norm for him, unfortunately.

"You," he said to Yahiko. "What are you doing here?"

Naruto balked at his tone, but Yahiko simply smiled and took another puff of his cigarette before handing it to him to hold.

"Is that a way to speak to your elders?" Yahiko asked placidly and, taking a few steps toward him, put his arms around Sasuke.

It took maybe half a minute, but eventually Sasuke reciprocated the hug, and it wasn't necessarily brief. It was odd to see it, and... it did make him jealous (but only the smallest bit). Still, since the cigarette was there, he turned around and leaned on the rail, inhaling on it briefly. Naruto wasn't a smoker and had maybe only tried it a handful of times in high school - but he just felt like he needed it. He listened to them exchange a short conversation of pleasantries before Sasuke began rudely interrogating him again about why he was in town. Then they argued for a few minutes until he heard Sasuke calling to him.

"What?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Are you smoking? What are you, a child?"

Naruto's eyes swept to Yahiko first.

"Don't be an ass," scolded Yahiko.

"Fuck off," Sasuke replied. "You're not my brother. You don't get to tell me what to do, and now your bad habits are rubbing off on my boyfriend."

"Jesus, Sasuke," said Naruto. "What's your problem?"

Sasuke walked over to him, pinning him with a glare. He snatched the cigarette from Naruto's fingers and threw it over the deck railing.

"Now there's no problem," said Sasuke.

"Oh. I think we might have a problem," replied Naruto.

"_Sasuke_," Yahiko interrupted and made the decision to step in between them. "What's gotten into you?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business just because you randomly decided to show up two days before my brother's trial," Sasuke responded coldly, though he continued to stare at Naruto as if he'd been the one to ask.

Naruto didn't mind so much if Sasuke copped an attitude with him, but being a dick to Yahiko didn't sit well with him at all.

"It's fine," he said to Yahiko, not breaking eye contact with Sasuke. "He and I can have a talk, but you're here to spend time with Itachi, so let's do that."

Taking the hint, Yahiko grabbed his mug as well as Naruto's and went back inside the house without another word. It left the two of them alone on the deck, as if in a stand off, and on top of that, it was starting to rain.

"Talk to me," Naruto said, expression softening even though Sasuke's remained tense and angry.

"Why would you talk to him about me?"

Naruto was a bit thrown off by the question. "What?"

"You have no right - "

"Listen," he snapped. "First of all, don't tell me what I do or don't have the right to do or say, and second of all, you are what Yahiko and I have in common, but you weren't the _only_ thing we were talkin' about, so check your ego, Sasuke."

Sasuke reached for and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Naruto," he said warningly.

"What."

Sasuke yanked him forward until they were nose to nose. Naruto offered no resistance; he still had his hands in his pockets. It was like they were locked in some kind of wordless battle, and, even though neither of them was saying anything, it felt as though he was finally getting the entirety of Sasuke's feelings.

In that instant when it hit him full force, he removed his hands from his pockets so that he could wrap his arms around Sasuke, crushing his body to him as he felt an overwhelming desire to protect him, to make his pain go away, to let him know that he wasn't alone. He rested his chin on Sasuke's shoulder. He held him, twisting their bodies together slightly as if comforting a crying child who'd fallen down and scraped his knee. Eventually, Sasuke let go of his shirt and simply drooped in his arms. He rested his head on Naruto's shoulder.

"Sorry," Sasuke murmured.

Naruto began to thread his fingers through Sasuke's dark hair. The rain was starting to turn it damp.

"Don't apologize to _me_," he said softly.

Sasuke's nose brushed the side of his neck. "This sucks."

"I know." He kept his hand on top of Sasuke's head, providing cover from the rain. "It'll be over soon."

"I'm fucking afraid of it being over. Don't... _don't_ force it to go faster. If - "

Naruto shushed him. "Okay. I'm not. We'll deal with it as it happens."

"You smell like smoke now," Sasuke complained.

God, he sounded like such a kid. Naruto didn't know if he wanted to smile or cry.

"I don't know what I was thinking," he said.

"Were you jealous?" asked Sasuke.

Naruto kissed the side of his head. "A little, but not as much as you think. He's a... good guy."

"I heard him say if he was younger, he'd give me a run for my money." He clung onto the sides of Naruto's sweatshirt.

"Well, if you were bein' the nosy bastard I think you were, you know what I said after."

"Only that I wouldn't like it, but you didn't say you'd refuse."

"Sasuke. I hate to have to tell you this," he smiled, "But you're retarded."

"I'm not." He said stubbornly.

"You are." Naruto kissed him again.

"I'm smarter than you are." Sasuke's hands moved to his back, clinging there, too.

"Uh, _yeah_. I can't really argue with that." He looked up at the sky, his tone of voice light, "Let's go inside."

"This morning," Sasuke interjected, catching his attention.

"Hm?"

"I hope this doesn't mean an end to you rimming me." He picked his head up and smirked at Naruto.

"Not if it's gonna make you all emotional like a little girl," Naruto replied, pushing a piece of wayward hair behind his ear.

"Please, it was just that I was so overjoyed you were finally giving it a shot."

Naruto snorted in his face. "Fuck you, Sasuke. I've licked your ass before. Don't act like I haven't."

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

Sasuke and Naruto both jumped at hearing Itachi's voice (okay, Naruto jumped and all Sasuke did was raise an eyebrow).

"Jesus, does anybody knock around here?" Naruto nearly shouted.

"Why would anyone knock on a door that leads out to the deck?" Sasuke asked him.

"Hey, whose side are you on?" Naruto glared. "And why do you keep makin' me shout inappropriate things in front of your brother?!"

"Sasuke, I'll have to tell you about how he ran into the living room naked earlier. When he thought Yahiko was you."

Naruto started to stutter. "W-what, I didn't - "

Sasuke pushed him away. "Why are running around naked in front of my brother?"

"I can explain - "

"Naruto, you can explain to him later about your weird fetishes. For now, both of you come in out of the rain. Yahiko needs to return to the hotel soon, so come say your goodbyes." Itachi disappeared back into the house.

"It's not what you think," Naruto said as Sasuke walked away from him.

"No wonder Yahiko was flirting with you since you were practically throwing yourself at him. Really, Naruto. I thought I was the only man for you, and you keep _telling_everyone how straight you are, but now I'm not so sure."

"Sasuke," he whined, chasing after him into the house. "Why do you keep makin' me repeat myself?! You're the only _guy_ I want to fuck for the rest of my life! I swear!"

* * *

><p>For a while, the four of them hung out in the living room, and all the tension from earlier had completely vanished. Sasuke hadn't apologized yet, but he was pretty sure it would happen by the time he got back from picking up their dinner. Naruto was standing around in the kitchen, having just placed the order for the three of them (Yahiko for sure wasn't staying), when Sasuke strolled into the kitchen. Maybe not everyone could tell, but Naruto knew he was acting like he usually did when he was aware he'd done something wrong. Sasuke gave him a hesitant smile, and because Naruto so often let Sasuke get off easy (no pun intended), he felt like giving him a hard time.<p>

Naruto held back a smile even though he desperately wanted to. "Dinner's ordered. Should be ready in about 20 minutes."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" asked Sasuke. "Do you even know where you're going?"

"It's fine." He shrugged. "And there's this cool thing called GPS now, so I'll be fine. It'd be good to go for a drive anyway."

Sasuke cocked his head, probably trying to win him over by looking a bit like a sad, abandoned puppy. "Are you... trying to get away from me, Naruto?"

Naruto really had to hold back his laughter. Manipulative little punk. "Of course not," he replied with a straight face. "You stay here. Relax. I'm sure you've had a long day." He put his hand on top of Sasuke's head and smirked. "Make sure you apologize for bein' a dick before he leaves."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he dropped the act. "You want _me_ to apologize to him? That's ironic, don't you think?"

"No, Alanis," he said. "It's not ironic. It's good manners."

"Maybe I'll use one of those 10,000 spoons to carve out your eyes tonight."

"Those are hostile words," Naruto replied in a low voice, taking a step closer to him. "I might have to punish you later."

"Oh. Is that so?"

"Sure," he said, breaking into a grin. "I'll just stick my tongue in your ass and make you cry again." He smacked Sasuke on the butt.

"Tch." Sasuke shoved at him in the chest. "Fuck you, Uzumaki. I did not cry. And if I did, it was only out of pity for you. That you're so out of practice."

"Ha." Naruto snorted. "I'm sorry, who came all over my hand and made my fingers sticky?"

Sasuke's frown deepened. "Oh, I don't know. The usual suspects maybe? My brother? Yahiko. You were the one that let them see you naked, after all."

He rolled his eyes. "I was wearing a _towel_, and like I said before, it was only 'cause I thought you were in the living room. Bastard. And now you know why I'm drivin' to the Chinese place by myself. By the way, what exactly did y'think you were gonna do after you grabbed my shirt collar, huh? Were you pickin' a fight with me,_Uchiha_?"

It was Sasuke's turn to smirk. "Maybe I just wanted to slap you around a bit."

"Hm." He smiled. "Fightin' with you could be fun." He glanced off to the side. "Actually, it's kind of a turn on to think about. No wonder I practically got a stiffy when I saw the pictures of you at your cute little martial arts competitions."

"...Excuse me?"

"Well, look at the time," he said, checking his wrist when he wasn't even wearing a watch. "I should probably grab your brother's car keys, eh?"

"Naruto," Sasuke growled. "And what do you mean you're taking Itachi's car? He doesn't even let me drive it."

Naruto hovered in the doorway. "Guess we know which of us is his favorite now, don't we?" He gave Sasuke a wave with a patronizing, flamboyant wiggle of his fingers and made a sprint for Itachi in case Sasuke tried to catch up and tackle him from behind. Also, despite having been surprised at first by Yahiko's appearance, he really wanted to make sure he said goodbye to him and wish him luck with Konan and the baby. In the end, he supposed there could've been worse guys Sasuke might've picked to be his first gay experience.

Speaking of, on the way to the restaurant, he should really give Kiba another call.

* * *

><p>So, as expected, driving Itachi's tricked out Range Rover was amazing. He'd set the GPS and was currently in the process of using Bluetooth to make a call to Kiba, who picked up on the fourth ring.<p>

"Where the hell have you been?" Naruto asked, checking the screen on the dashboard to make sure he was headed in the right direction.

"What? I told you we were goin' out of town to see one of Ino's friends. Don't you ever listen to me?"

"Uh. Sometimes. Hm. I think I vaguely remember a conversation about this now that you mention it."

"Asshole. So, how's Seattle? How's Sasuke? Is his brother goin' to jail yet?"

"Seattle's wet. Sasuke's... Sasuke, and _no_, Itachi's not in jail, jerk."

"Woulda been weird if you'd mixed up the first two and said Sasuke was wet." Kiba laughed at his own joke.

"You're retarded," he said. "I'm gonna punch you for that when I get home."

"Uh huh. What are you doin' now?"

"Driving to pick everyone up some food."

"By yourself?"

"Yeah. Kinda wanted to be alone."

"Oh. Are you and Sasuke, uh. Y'know. Fightin' and stuff?"

Naruto hummed while flipping on the windshield wipers. "I dunno if it qualifies as a fight, but it's been... tense. Here and there. His ex showed up today. Or, well, I dunno that they ever dated, but, er. Anyway. So that was awkward."

"Right, and you didn't start with this information because...?"

He had to stop for a light. The rain began to fall harder. "Because," he said, having to think on it, "I guess because he didn't seem like a bad guy? I dunno. He came since he was worried about Itachi, and the guy's not even livin' in the country anymore, so to come all that way to visit a friend in trouble. Why would I be a dick about it? Not that I had a right to anyway."

"True. It's all in the past, bro. Nothin' to worry about. How did Sasuke feel about seein' him?"

"Er, that's to be determined. He was kind of a jerk at first, but I think there was other stuff goin' on. We haven't talked about it yet. I left the three of them there."

"I see." Kiba made a thoughtful noise into the phone. "Well, you know how Sasuke feels about you... that guy's smitten, Naruto. He's just goin' through a rough time, but if he takes advantage of you bein' a pushover, make sure to tell him to shut up every once in a while. If he gives you a hard time, I'm gonna come after him."

Naruto chuckled. "You're a good friend, Kiba."

"I know." Kiba laughed.

"Alright, well it's startin' to rain pretty hard, so I think I'm gonna let you go. I'll call you after everything's over."

"Alright," said Kiba. "Good luck. Does it rain as often as they say in Seattle?"

"Shit, yeah. I don't think it's stopped since we've been here. Tell Ino hey for me."

"Okay, take it easy. Later, Naruto."

The call ended, and he was only another mile or two away from the Chinese place according to the GPS lady speaking to him with a British accent (he'd changed it because he liked the way the British voices said 'motorway'). As he continued to drive, he was left to think about how cool it seemed that the people close to him knew who Sasuke really was - and that the people close to Sasuke also knew the same. He and Naruto were so close and he cared for Sasuke so much that he'd gotten used to his moods or the sometimes biting way he phrased things. Still, that kept stuff fun and interesting. It's not like Naruto was one to shy away from fights, after all. He'd been in several growing up and maybe joined in one or two brawls during college. Not that he wanted to have a brawl with Sasuke. That'd be odd, and he kind of had a feeling that would just turn into something completely sexual. Picking fights was sometimes Sasuke's way of flirting, but, hey, Naruto did it sometimes, too. He was just more obvious about it.

God, he _loved_ that bastard! Fucking hell. Right, focus on driving. Just another block and Naruto pulled into the parking lot, and for a moment, he pawed at the leather on the passenger seat. This car was great. He wanted one, and how awesome was Itachi for letting him borrow it without hesitation? He wondered if Yahiko had left yet and if Sasuke had apologized. He knew Sasuke well enough to say that he had. In his own Sasuke way, which he hoped didn't include any kind of nakedness on either party's part. In fact, he didn't want either party's parts anywhere near each other.

Naruto got out of the car, pulling his hood up over his head as he made a dash for the restaurant. It was a little strange how getting a whiff of the place didn't sit well with his stomach. He'd been hungry earlier, but it only got worse as he went inside and picked up the order. On the return trip home, he felt really sick to his stomach, and as he parked the car in the garage and went inside the house - two large paper bags in hand - he had to stop a moment to lean against the wall while on the stairs. He was a little light-headed, but regaining himself, he continued up the stairs and into the kitchen. He could hear music playing in the living room - it almost had a muffled quality to it, as if it was coming from a record player. "Strawberry Fields Forever". If he walked in and found Sasuke smoking pot...

It was rare for Sasuke to listen to the Beatles and _not_ smoke pot, but his guess that was something that would be frowned upon by whomever was monitoring Itachi.

While he was opening up the bags, Naruto started to feel nauseous again and had to pause what he was doing, which was the ill-timed moment Sasuke decided to come into the kitchen.

"Hey," Naruto said to him, trying to cover up just how shit he felt. "Did Yahiko leave?"

"Yeah, a little after you did. You okay?" He put his hand to Naruto's forehead, frowning. "You look pale."

Naruto pushed his hand away gently. "M'fine. Just a little tired. Here's your stuff. I think I'm gonna go lay down."

"Naruto," he said, biting his lip at the corner.

"I'm fine." Naruto waved his hand dismissively. "Do you mind bringin' this to your brother before his fried rice gets cold?"

"He can get it himself," Sasuke argued. "Let me get something for a fever."

Naruto grabbed for the front of his t-shirt, stopping him before he turned to walk away. "Really, Sasuke. Just... let me lie down for a bit, and I'll be good. Don't make a thing about it and go spend time with your brother." He added after a pause, "Please."

Sasuke didn't look too happy with the request, but he glanced away and nodded. "Fine. I'll come check on you in a little while."

Naruto smiled at him. "Thanks. And tell Itachi I said thank you for lettin' me drive his car. I'll leave the keys with you." He fished them out of his pocket and handed them to Sasuke.

He left the kitchen after that and, as he passed the living room, he waved to Itachi without saying anything. "Norwegian Wood" was playing. He'd spied record albums spread across the floor. The music followed him down the hallway, and he couldn't help but sing "... isn't it good? Norwegian Wood."

Once in the bedroom, he left the door open so he could continue to listen to the music. He crawled underneath the covers, resting his head on one pillow as he lay on his side facing the wall with the bookshelf. He grabbed another one of the pillows and held it against his stomach, hugging it to his chest.

He let out a sigh. Why the hell did he feel so tired all of a sudden? Annoying. Still, he closed his eyes, hearing the haunting violins of one of Sasuke's favorites begin to play.

"All the lonely people," he breathed, pulling the pillow tighter against his body. "Where do they all come from..."

* * *

><p>When he woke up, there was no longer any music, and he felt the cool press of a hand to his forehead.<p>

"What time is it?" He asked hoarsely.

Sasuke took a seat on the edge of the bed, gazing at him in the darkness, fingers running through his hair.

"A little after 7. You've been asleep for a couple of hours," he said softly. "Do you need anything?"

"I do."

"What?"

"You. C'mere." He scooted to the other side of the mattress, grabbed Sasuke by the wrist, and pulled him onto the bed. "Lay with me."

Sasuke got under the covers with him. They faced each other, a fair amount of space between them. Sasuke folded his hands underneath his head as he looked at Naruto.

"Tell me a story," he said to Sasuke and, reaching across, gave him a gentle poke below his shoulder before letting his hand drop between them on the sheets.

Sasuke grabbed for his hand and laced their fingers together. "What kind of story?"

Naruto shrugged. "Tell me something nerdy about music."

"Hm. Did I ever tell you about the time I went to John Lennon's house in Liverpool?"

"What, really?" He asked. "Nuh uh."

"Mmhmm. I did. I even signed the guestbook."

"Okay, tell me." He squeezed Sasuke's hand. "Tell me, tell me."

"Well, I went by myself on a train from London and decided to stay there for a few days and just walk around. There's a tour you can take, and they let you go inside John and Paul's childhood homes. They put you on this bus and play Beatle's music. I sat next to a man who said he'd gone to school with John. He said John was a lousy student and a real smartass."

"Just like _you_," Naruto teased.

"Very funny," Sasuke remarked. "We went to John's house first, where he used to live with his aunt. His mom was killed in a car accident when he was young - right in front of the house, really. His aunt used to have boarders in the house from time to time. I got to see his kitchen and his dining room and his living room, and then I went upstairs into his bedroom."

"How cool was that?" He asked.

"Pretty cool," Sasuke said, mocking his excited tone somewhat. "I stayed there for quite a while, just looking at some of his things, wondering about things he would've thought. It was... as close to a spiritual experience as I've ever had maybe. When I went back downstairs I went out on the porch, where the guide said John had practiced songs with Paul."

"I'm jealous," said Naruto. "Why didn't you take me with you?"

"If I'd known you, I would've definitely considered it. I saw Penny Lane on the way there, and Strawberry Field wasn't very far from his home."

"Not Strawberry Fields?"

"Nope. It was originally Field, no 's'. The actual field is called Strawberry Field."

"Hm. And what about Paul's house?"

Sasuke sighed and, letting go of Naruto's hand, he placed his own at Naruto's hip - thumb skimming underneath his shirt to drag across his skin.

"You're distractin' me from the story," Naruto said, gaze dropping to Sasuke's mouth.

"You're easily distracted, pet." He smirked when Naruto scrunched his nose at being called 'pet'. "Paul's house was much smaller. He'd also lost his mother. He was raised by his father and had a younger brother. They didn't have as much money as John. Or, well. I guess you'd consider them working-class and John middle-class. It felt cozy inside. Paul had a small room upstairs, and he used to sneak out the window sometimes. There's a pipe that runs up the back of the house, and I guess he used to climb down it. Paul had never been my favorite Beatle, but after that, I had more respect for him. As a person, I mean."

"I like Ringo," Naruto said with a snigger.

"You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He grabbed onto Sasuke's shirt. "Psht. You know I like John. I like Paul, too. And George. And Ringo."

"Fair enough," said Sasuke. "I went to other places, too. I got to see where they performed, saw the museum. There's another one of those God-awful gigantic Ferris wheels - just like the one at Navy Pier."

Naruto chuckled. "You're such a wuss."

"Says the guy who hates flying."

Naruto stuck out his bottom lip as he tugged at Sasuke's shirt. "Did you apologize to Yahiko?"

"What do you think?" asked Sasuke.

"I think I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

Sasuke pushed his bangs back for him. "You know how I feel about disappointing you."

"Do I look good with my bangs pushed back?" Naruto asked, smiling widely at him.

Sasuke winked. "You look good with your bangs pushed back."

Naruto gave a little wiggle of pleasure.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked him.

"Just that... I like you sometimes."

"You like me?" Sasuke's knuckles grazed his cheek. "What do you like about me, Naruto?"

"Everything," he said. "Absolutely everything."

Sasuke's own smile grew significantly. "You're too honest."

"So are you," he replied immediately.

"Not always in a good way?"

Naruto shrugged a shoulder. "I'm not sure there's anything bad about being honest, but I suppose presentation counts for somethin', huh?"

"Indeed." Sasuke traced Naruto's bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. "How do you feel?"

"Warm," he answered and laughed. "Getting hotter."

"That's probably the fever, I'm sure."

"Probably..."

"Naruto," Sasuke said, leaning in closer.

"Mm?" He tilted his head as he looked at him.

Sasuke gave him a quick kiss on the mouth, leaned back again, and just stared for a while.

Naruto searched his face. "What was that for?"

"Because I like you, too."

"You like me?" He asked, humor in his voice. "What do you like about me, Sasuke?"

"Everything," Sasuke replied. "Absolutely everything."

* * *

><p>AN: In a chapter or two, I will need to start uploading the Dream fic, which is an alternate universe/interlude I started writing in the middle of Seattle. It's Coffee!Naruto and Sasuke in an alternate reality where they meet when Naruto transfers to Sasuke's high school. It's meant as a "dream" that Sasuke has at one point in Seattle, but it then gets heavily referenced in the second half of Seattle. But, I didn't know if I wanted to upload it inside THIS fic, or publish it as its own story. I'll decide on that pretty soon. Probably. Thanks for the comments.


	7. Meet the Parents

They were still lying in bed, which was nice. It felt warm and comfortable with Sasuke by his side. Things hadn't exactly been smooth for them over the last few days, so it was good to be able to relax like this together.

"Y'know," said Naruto. "You could've told me that the four-wheeler belonged to Yahiko."

"I could have," Sasuke replied, having the decency to appear the slightest bit guilty. "But you would've made a thing out of it."

"And it's not as if you expected your first ex-lover ever to show up out of the blue, eh? Sasuke Uchiha. I thought you prepared for everything, but you slipped up royally." Naruto pushed him in the shoulder until he had to lean over.

"I think I can safely say I did not. And I certainly didn't expect to come home and see the two of you getting so chummy out on the deck. Even sharing a cigarette. How dare you swap spit with any man other than me." He reached over and grabbed Naruto by the wrist, playfully dragging him more into his lap.

Naruto rested his head against Sasuke's chest. "Don't change the subject. You fibbed to me."

"I didn't fib to you," Sasuke said softly, playing with his hair.

"Omitting stuff is lyin', too."

Sasuke lifted his chin up to look at him. "I apologize," he said. "You looked as though you were enjoying yourself, and I figured if you knew whose it was, you might..." Naruto raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to finish. "...Overreact."

"Right." Naruto sat up, pulling himself away from Sasuke's arms. "After your little tantrum earlier, you're worried about me overreacting? Seriously?"

"Tantrum?" Sasuke frowned. "I wouldn't call that a tantrum. I hadn't seen him inyears, Naruto, and he shows up out of nowhere at a very... stressful time."

Naruto hummed dubiously at him. "I'm confused if you were angry at him showin' up, or that we were chummy, or something else altogether? Stuff at the courthouse didn't go so well?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "All of the above, I'd say. If I catch you smoking again, I'll show you a real tantrum. I don't like making out with smokers."

"Oh, did you get tired of it when you were makin' out with Yahiko however many times that happened over the years? You two seem a lot more close than I expected. I bet he was like an uncle that would stop by on occasion to sneak in your room and diddle you when everyone else was asleep."

Sasuke actually laughed at him. "You realize how you sound, right?"

Pouting, Naruto flopped onto his stomach, placing his head on the pillow, but facing away from his boyfriend. Sasuke shook him at the shoulder, but Naruto only "hmph'ed" at him.

"I'm not feelin' well," he mumbled. "Why don't you go bug your brother?"

"Because," Sasuke pressed his forehead to Naruto's shoulder, "I want to bug you right now."

"No. I need to rest."

"Naruto." Sasuke tugged at the back of his shirt. "Are you hungry? Shall I make you some toast?" He lay down on Naruto's back, snuggling up against him. Brushing Naruto's hair to the side, he kissed at the back of his neck. "If you get up and let me feed you, I'll show you something nice."

"I don't wanna see your penis right now, Sasuke. Can't you read the mood?"

Sasuke sighed heavily, lifting the hair that fell across the nape of his neck. "Did you enjoy going through all those old photo albums with Itachi?"

"I dunno what you're talkin' about."

"Now who's fibbing?"

Naruto fidgeted and rolled around underneath him until Sasuke got up. "You never show me pictures of stuff. I hadn't even seen your parents, and I always wonder what you were like as a kid."

"You do?" Sasuke raised himself on his elbow, eyes gleaming.

"Duh." He cupped Sasuke's cheek. "I wish I coulda known you back then, even if we woulda been complete opposites."

"But if we'd met then," Sasuke said, leaning into his hand, "We might've hated each other. We might've fought every day instead of it being like this."

"Or," said Naruto, "We woulda become friends, and maybe over the years, we coulda become somethin' more."

"Don't you feel like if even the slightest thing changed in our pasts, we might never have been the people we were when we met at Starbuck's? Even if we'd met just a year earlier, I would've been too cynical to even consider dating you. Or even getting to know you. Europe let me see things a little differently. Being transferred out of New York, I felt like I was ready for something in my life to change, but I didn't know that meant meeting you."

Naruto started to smile crookedly. "You say nice things sometimes."

"Sometimes," Sasuke repeated, nodding.

"Doesn't mean I don't still wish I could've been there for you during hard times."

"I feel the same."

"Ah well." He dropped his hand, placing it on his stomach. "No sense livin' in the past, huh?"

"It's funny you say that," Sasuke said, glancing away to look around the room.

"Why's that?"

Sasuke looked back at him. "I used to tell myself that I didn't want to live anywhere but the past. After Mother and Father died, I guess I stopped imagining what a future would be like."

"Is that why you stopped playin' music and all that?"

Sasuke frowned. "Itachi's got a big mouth, doesn't he."

Naruto shrugged. "Sad story, bro." He grinned.

Sasuke punched him in the arm. "Dick."

"Seriously, though. That is a really fuckin' sad story. I guess I kinda felt like that when Mom died. When she was sick it was even worse. At least after she passed away, I knew she wasn't suffering all the time, but I really felt like I lost my way for a while. Like life had set out this path for me, and suddenly... where the hell did it go? It was all covered in leaves and shit, and I had no idea where I was goin'. Was it like that for you?"

Sasuke scrunched his mouth to the side in thought. "A little, yeah."

"Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Of course."

"If you didn't really think there was any kind of future for you anymore, why did you decide to make the move to New York? Didn't that take a lot of motivation to up and go like that?"

"My brother had a lot to do with it," Sasuke answered and, shifting around, settled on his stomach, facing him. "He practically pushed me out the door. Deidara called me nearly every damn day to remind me he had a place I could stay. It seemed as though there was some sort of conspiracy going on. Friends of my brother would stop me and ask me when I was moving out there. I think at some point I got so tired of everyone badgering me about it, that I had to leave Seattle just to escape their nagging."

Naruto chuckled. "Yahiko did say somethin' about that. They were all really happy that you went out there."

"Well, they never were really good at minding their own business," remarked Sasuke as he picked some lint off of Naruto's shirt.

"That's because they care about you."

"Yes, well. Even though I went to New York, things weren't necessarily any better. It was a change of scenery. I worked a lot. When I wasn't working, I found other ways to preoccupy myself."

"You've mentioned." He watched Sasuke set his hand on top of his stomach, not flat but gripping at the fabric.

"What would it have been like had I met you there, do you think? You would've hated me," Sasuke whispered.

"I told you before that would never happen, and that that Sasuke is still inside you somewhere, but I have to make him happy and keep him content so that he doesn't get lonely or angry and start shaggin' everyone that comes into his line of sight again."

Sasuke smirked, but he didn't laugh. "Do you really dislike that part of me so much?"

"No," Naruto said immediately. "I don't dislike any part of you. I understand. I might get a little jealous about it, or I might get upset that you felt you had to do that for whatever reasons, but I don't think I could ever really judge you. I don't have the right anyway. I'll just pretend you were some sort of sexual superhero, providing pleasure to the masses."

Sasuke's body shook against his as he laughed. "Ridiculous. What about you? Don't act like you're innocent either. I've heard enough stories now to know you were quite the lady's man in your day."

"In my day?" Naruto scoffed. "I dunno who you've been swappin' stories with, but my list isn't so long."

"Doesn't matter," said Sasuke. "If I'd been in a long-term relationship, my... conquests... might've been less in number. But you, you were with one woman for years, and I assume that the two of you had sex regularly. So, regardless of your number of partners, not only have you had an equal amount of sex to me, but you were intimate with someone you loved. So, Naruto. It's a matter of perspective, I think."

Naruto was quiet for a while before he said, "At least the chances of you runnin' into her are ridiculously low. I've already met one of your past lovers. Odd, though. That they've both escaped the country to get away from us?"

"You never know," said Sasuke. "Once she realizes what she missed out on, she might come running back."

"Yeah right," Naruto snorted, and then his stomach decided to grumble loudly, rumbling underneath Sasuke's hand.

"Come on. Let me make you some toast at least. Unless you want something more substantial."

"I feel kinda nervous about havin' anything more than that. Hey, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was in the process of sitting up. "What is it?"

"I like this about us," he said. "About you. That we can talk about stuff like this. I feel lucky, y'know. That you're my best friend. And also that you convinced me you were worth me bein' gay for, because I don't think that... the way I feel about you, how I always want you around, I suppose that if we had stayed just friends, it might've been... weird?"

"Yes, I think had we simply stayed friends, that might've given me some mixed signals." Sasuke smirked and held out a hand, pulling Naruto up into a sitting position against the headboard.

"It really does feel like things had to line up just the way they did for 'us' to happen. When you think of it that way, it really makes you think there's more goin' on in the universe than most people realize?"

Both of Sasuke's eyebrows lifted. "You're not going to start asking me to attend church on Sundays now, are you?"

"No," Naruto replied, smiling. "But it is nice, right? To know that at least the universe is behind us bein' together?"

"You're my soulmate, hm?" Sasuke pulled at a piece of hair, giving it a couple of tugs until Naruto batted his hand away.

"Don't mock my love!"

"I would never," said Sasuke. "It's one of few things in this world I would die trying to protect."

Naruto's bottom lip quivered. "...You mean that?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're gonna score big time tonight."

Sasuke sniggered softly. "We'll see how you feel later on."

"I'm still too worked up by what you just said to make an inappropriate joke about your phrasing."

"Hn. Come on." He got off the bed and dragged Naruto along with him. "Let's make you toast, and then I'll take you somewhere special."

"Why do I feel like that's somethin' David Bowie would say before he drags me into the Labyrinth."

Sasuke took hold of his hand as they left the bedroom. "I think you're a little too old for David Bowie to want to kidnap you."

"Probably. Can I have peanut butter on my toast?" Naruto asked hopefully, swinging their hands between them. "Maybe even some honey. Will you call me 'pet' one more time?"

"Yes, pet," Sasuke said, flashing him a small smile. "You can have peanut butterand honey."

Naruto scrunched his nose like before and had to look elsewhere. "It's embarrasin' how much I like that."

"And you used to tell me you hated pet names."

"Shut up," he mumbled, glancing back at him with one eye squinted half-way shut.

Sasuke merely smirked. "It's worth it just to see you turn this red."

"I said it was embarrassing! What do you want from me?"

"Lots of things," said Sasuke. "Lots and lots of things."

"Greedy. You think you can have me all to yourself?"

"Yes."

"Good. 'Cause you can."

"I already do."

"I'm gonna stop talkin' to you for a few minutes until you become less smug."

As they entered the kitchen, Sasuke replied, "It's going to take more than a few minutes for that to happen."

"Yeah, more like years," Naruto murmured.

"Years sounds promising. Spending years with you sounds very good, indeed."

"God, I hope you say that over the next couple of days," Naruto abruptly blurted, causing Sasuke to turn to him with a questioning look, which he waved away. "Ah hah, nothin'."

"Suspicious. Tell me what you meant by that."

Naruto shook his head and, letting go of his boyfriend's hand, hopped onto the counter. "Nothin'. I'll have my toast now."

"...Okay."

He watched Sasuke as he got out some bread, the toaster, and a jar of peanut butter from the pantry. There was an open container of honey that he grabbed from the fridge. Naruto hopped off the counter to confiscate the peanut butter. Taking the knife Sasuke had set out, he dipped it in and then fingered a little bit off the edge, sucking it off his thumb.

"Can't you wait?" Sasuke complained as he put the bread inside the toaster.

"Why? Did you want some?" Naruto grinned wolfishly before swiping his finger across Sasuke's cheek, leaving a trail of peanut butter.

"You did not just do that."

"Do what?" Naruto danced back a few feet.

"Uzumaki," Sasuke practically growled. "Did you just put peanut butter on my face?"

"It wasn't me," he replied, dancing out of Sasuke's reach. But Sasuke came closer and clutched the front of his shirt - a lot like earlier out on the deck actually.

"Lick it off."

"But I have a knife." He held it up.

Sasuke grabbed it and chucked it into the sink. "Lick it off."

"Or what?" Naruto asked as he was pulled closer.

"Or I'll show you some of the less forgiving moves I learned during my martial arts days."

"I'm only doin' this 'cause you threatening me is kinda turnin' me on."

"Hn."

He leaned in, taking hold of Sasuke's chin, and as he licked the peanut butter off of his boyfriend's cheek, he felt a hand grip him at the waist.

"Pervert," Naruto teased.

"If you think I'm a pervert now, I suppose it's a good thing you didn't smear any on my cock."

Laughing, Naruto planted a kiss on his lips and enveloped him in a hug. The bread sprung up out of the toaster, and Sasuke disentangled himself so that he could fix Naruto his dinner of toast with peanut butter and honey. Before he even asked, Sasuke also poured him a glass of milk.

"I should get sick more often," Naruto said, taking his first bite. "I like when you're all nice and wanting to take care of me."

Sasuke leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. "I always want to take care of you."

"But you admit you're not always nice." Naruto licked some peanut butter off of his lips.

"I do the best I can."

"Mm. I like you just the way you are, no worries."

"Me and all my flaws?" Sasuke asked.

"I love your flaws. They make you who you are."

"I can't believe you're suggesting I have any."

Naruto chuckled as he munched on his toast some more. "Thanks for takin' the crust off."

"Anytime."

"I really do like you," he confessed. "In case that wasn't clear."

Sasuke bit his lip and offered a surprisingly coy smile.

"Stop it," Naruto warned. "I will jump you."

"Pet, are you going to jump me?"

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, the urge to maul Sasuke strong enough that it must've been related to some sort of primal instinct involving marking his territory. When he opened his eyes again, the laughter was so clear in Sasuke's gaze that he had to laugh himself.

"You looked like Bruce Banner just then," Sasuke told him.

Naruto snorted out a laugh. "Kinda felt like that, yeah."

"Naruto smash," Sasuke murmured, stepping up to him and dragging his lips across his cheek in an almost kiss.

Naruto snagged him around the waist with an arm. "I love you," he said as seriously as he could manage when he felt this happy. "Truly, madly, deeply. Just like the Savage Garden song."

"You're showing your age if you can remember that one," Sasuke replied.

"You're impressed. You know it."

"I am." Sasuke smiled at him so warmly that he couldn't not kiss him some more. After another kiss, Sasuke pulled a face. "You taste like peanut butter."

"Big deal. I licked your ass this mornin'."

"Well, your Hot Pockets taste like ass, so it shouldn't have been much of a problem."

He grinned widely. "It wasn't." He nuzzled Sasuke's neck and kissed along his jaw. "I might do it again before we go to bed."

"Before bed?" Sasuke asked. "Does that mean you're going to do it right here?"

"Hell, no. Your brother would probably walk in right as I started. It's like he senses when I'm about to perv on you."

"He is blessed with many interesting talents," Sasuke replied.

"So are you," he said suggestively as Sasuke loosely encircled his arms about Naruto's waist.

"Are you coming onto me, Naruto?"

"Slightly premature of you to ask, but highly likely for later."

"Maybe if your fever is gone, I'll pretend to consider it. You haven't been sleeping well lately. Don't think I haven't noticed."

He grumbled. "M'fine. You're not sleepin' all that great either, right?"

"I'm used to living on so little sleep. Now, if you're done with your toast, I want to show you something."

"Mmkay," he said, letting go of Sasuke and stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Lead the way. I won't even check out your butt on the way to wherever we're headed."

"Check it out all you want," said Sasuke. "It belongs to you, after all." He stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder, wearing one of those cocky expressions that brought out that desire to maul him again. "Well, are you coming?"

"Heh."

Sucking on his bottom lip, Naruto followed after him as they headed toward the stairs that led to the second story. Slightly distracted, he tried not to bump into anything breakable since he couldn't be bothered to notice anything other than Sasuke's sexy ass at the moment.

xxx

When Itachi had taken him around the house, the tour hadn't included the top floor, which, as they entered an open area (a lot like a second living room), they then walked along a short hallway that led to a closed door.

Sasuke paused with his hand on the doorknob and looked at him. "This is my parents' bedroom."

"Is it... really okay I go in?"

"Yeah," he answered, giving him the smallest of smiles. "It's okay." He opened the door, flipped on the light, and stepped inside. Naruto went in after him.

He had to stop and take in everything, because it almost felt as if nothing had been changed or moved. Family portraits hung on the walls and framed photographs sat atop a very large dresser against one of the walls - all painted a slate gray. The carpet was neutral. The bed was made. The room in general was spacious with a bay window that looked out onto the back yard (the blinds were drawn halfway). While he explored around the room, Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed.

Naruto took his time, observing everything with all the attention each item deserved because these were things that had belonged to Sasuke's parents. People he would never get the chance to meet, and yet he had every reason in the world to be eternally grateful and thankful toward them. He did not try to touch anything; though, when he got to the photos, he desperately wanted to pick up a few of them, especially one of Sasuke being held by his mother in a hospital room. He stared at that for a while, and then wandered over to another that was of Mikoto and Fugaku in traditional Japanese clothing (their wedding?). There were a few other pictures of them when they appeared even younger as well as a picture of Itachi as a teenager. He was standing at the top of some stairs, in front of a beautiful shrine.

"I haven't been in here in a long time," Sasuke murmured. "I thought it might be difficult to come inside their room, but... that's not how I feel at all."

Naruto turned to him. "And how do you feel?"

"Hard to explain."

Naruto nodded. "It kind of feels like they are here."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, letting him know he'd guessed correctly. "Yes."

"Yeah. Sometimes I drive by our old house, the one we lived in with Mom, and I always wanna stop by to see if they'll let me come in. But more than that, when I go to visit her grave, I feel like she's still around."

"I suppose it's hard not to look at all their things, all these pictures and not feel their presence. It's...comforting."

Hands in his pockets, Naruto went over to him; Sasuke looked up, watching him. Then, as he lowered his head, Naruto stepped even closer, and Sasuke pressed his forehead against his stomach. Naruto set his hands on top of his boyfriend's head.

"I like this room," he said to Sasuke. "Thank you for showing me."

"I thought you'd like it. I feel as though I should be making introductions."

Naruto chuckled. "You don't have to."

"You introduced me to your mother."

"Mm. I wanted you two to meet. Even though she used to tease me a lot about datin' girls, I imagine she would've been equally pleased to see me end up with someone like you."

"Let's do it then." Sasuke lifted his head. "Naruto. Meet my parents, Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto. Mom and Dad, this is Naruto."

They were both quiet for a minute or two.

"Maybe you should've added that I'm your boyfriend," said Naruto. "In case they get confused and think I'm just a friend."

"I'm fairly sure they would not be confused." Sasuke placed both hands at either side of his waist, thumbs latching into his belt loops. "You can look around some more if you want. You can touch things, too. I don't mind."

Naruto smiled. "Really?"

"Yes. Just don't break anything."

He cocked his head to the side as he brushed some of Sasuke's bangs behind his ear. "Like I would."

"You're kind of clumsy sometimes."

"Tch. Mmkay. I'm gonna be nosy then. Since you said it was okay." He left Sasuke alone and went around the room again, this time picking up photo frames when he felt like it, or touching the ones on the wall. The Uchihas were a family that really liked to read apparently, as they also had a giant bookshelf angled in a corner of their room.

There were lots of books, the titles of many he couldn't read because they were in Japanese, and also displayed on the shelves were some even older photographs, possibly of Sasuke's grandparents or other relatives. He saw one photo, and, if he had to guess, it was Mikoto as a young girl - maybe 10 or 11 years old. She wore a kimono and a sash tied around her waist while sitting on the lap of an elderly Japanese man. Then, on the shelf below that, was a photo of Itachi, Sasuke, and another young boy, playing some sort of card game. They were all dressed in traditional clothing. Naruto picked it up, staring at it closely.

"What's this?" He asked Sasuke, turning around to find him lying across the middle of the bed. "What were you doin'? Who's this other kid?"

Sasuke, who'd had his eyes closed, opened them at hearing his questions. "Show me. I can't see it from here."

Naruto brought it over to him.

"We're playing a Japanese card game. It's called karuta."

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"Hm. Kind of like Memory. You memorize all of these cards with old Japanese poems on them, and then there's a person who reads different cards... and you have to be the quickest one to grab the card that finishes the poem. It's kind of difficult to explain, but the skill is that a lot of the cards, because of the similarity in syllables, can sound the same. My brother was... fantastic at it. He even played in tournaments in Japan when he went, but this is us at the Japanese Center in Seattle."

"God, why does that make me so happy to imagine the two of you doin' stuff like this growin' up? And this other kid that's watchin' you...?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. "A cousin of ours. Shisui. He...isn't around anymore. But, he and my brother were very close growing up."

Naruto nodded in understanding. "Sorry to hear that."

"Don't be sorry. It has nothing to do with you," Sasuke said, without any judgment. He handed the picture back to Naruto. "My brother beat the pants off of me. He always did."

Naruto's nose wrinkled. "Yeah?"

"Hard to believe, hm?"

"Not really," he said. "Itachi does seem like he'd be good at everything, after all."

"Oh good. You're back to idolizing my brother, are you?"

Almost reverently, Naruto returned the photo to where he'd found it; he wondered if Sasuke would be interested in taking any of these photos back with him. Not that he was going to push it.

Sasuke sat up on the bed and leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs. Naruto walked over to him again, this time with his hands at his sides.

"What's up? What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Sasuke answered. "But I'm ready to go downstairs if you are."

"Sure."

Sasuke got to his feet, standing in front of him, their bodies separated by less than a couple of inches. "What do you want to do now?"

"What do you wanna do?"

"Something distracting."

"Oh, hey. I have an idea."

"Is this going to be a good idea or a bad idea?"

"When do I ever have bad ideas?"

"Often." He grabbed for Naruto's wrist and held onto it. "What do you want to do, Naruto?"

"I want the three of us to go to the basement and play Rock Band. But, on one condition."

"Why is there a condition when we're doing what you want to do?" Sasuke asked.

"...Uh. Because. So, I get the guitar, and Itachi can have the drums, and you get the microphone."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why do I have to sing?"

"You don't wanna hear me sing, do you?"

"Hm. Good point."

"Hey!" Naruto pulled a face. "Asshole. I'm not that bad!"

"Shh, you're too loud. And, I know. You aren't terrible. If that's what you want, we can do that, but we're switching. I refuse to sing the entire time."

"S'fine," said Naruto. "I'm used to us switching."

Sasuke let out a sigh and started walking, leading Naruto out of the room by the wrist. "I can't believe you would bring up our sex life in my parents' bedroom."

"Oh yeah, forgot. Heh." He scratched the back of his head as Sasuke switched the light off and shut the door once they were in the hallway.

As they were going down the stairs, they nearly ran into Itachi, who was apparently coming from his bedroom. Sasuke stopped, so Naruto stopped with him.

"Naruto wants to play Rock Band. Are you available?" Sasuke asked his brother.

Itachi glanced at Naruto. "If that's what Naruto wants, I would never deny him."

"See that," Sasuke looked at him over his shoulder. "My brother is willing. Are you happy now?"

"Yes," he said with a single nod before bursting into a huge grin.

"I take it you're feeling better?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah m'good. Was just a bit tired."

"I think we're going to get something to drink first," said Sasuke. "There's still wine isn't there? Or did Naruto drink it all with dinner last night?"

Not that Sasuke waited for an answer. He let go of Naruto's wrist and reached for his hand instead. Their fingers laced together, Sasuke led him into the kitchen so that he could pour them both a glass of wine (he had red, Naruto had white).

"You're not tryin' to get me drunk or anything, are you?" Naruto asked, leaning against the counter. "I don't want that to get in the way of my performance on the guitar."

"I never have any complaints when it comes to your performance."

"Really, that's funny. 'Cause I'm pretty sure you were gettin' on my case this mornin'."

"How long are you going to go on about that?" Sasuke smirked. "I'm sure there are things you would like me to do to you that I don't do now or enough."

"Nope. I've got no complaints."

"I don't have any either. I was just in a bad mood, Naruto. It's nothing personal. So, shall we bring our wine down to the basement and play some video games for a while?"

"Indeed. I do believe the game is afoot, Watson." Walking by, Naruto clinked his glass against Sasuke's.

"What does that even mean?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto didn't reply, but they did make their way to the basement where Itachi was already setting up the game and dragging out the drum set from behind one of the chairs.

"This is gonna be fun."

"Just to remind you, Itachi and I are rather competitive."

"Isn't this sort of a team game?"

"...Uchihas don't do teams, Naruto," Itachi told him.

"It's true," confirmed Sasuke.

"Once again, I'm glad we all get along together, because if we didn't, I have a feelin' that our relationships would be a lot more intense and crazy fucked up."

Both of the brothers looked at him questioningly.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," they replied in unison, and then shared a disgruntled look, apparently from having spoken at the same time.

"Weirdos," he mumbled. "Just so y'know, I call guitar first round!"

xxx

After a few more glasses of wine and much switching around (even Itachi sang a couple of songs, but it took a significant amount of begging on Naruto's part and also him threatening Sasuke that he'd beat him if he kept laughing). He thought Itachi had a great voice, really, but Sasuke's voice was even better, and that wasn't just him being biased. He didn't know the technical jargon for it, but Sasuke could sing stuff that was low, high, and anywhere in between, and he had such a good ear that he was always on pitch (except that one Paramore song and by then, they were both buzzed). Naruto would've complimented him more, but he didn't want it to go to Sasuke's head.

They were currently on a Radiohead song they'd already done once, but this time Sasuke was singing instead of Naruto, Naruto was on the drums instead of the guitar, and Itachi was taking a break in the reclining chair. When the song finished and Sasuke had a 100, and he earned a 99, of course, someone had to turn around and gloat.

"See that," said Sasuke, holding up the mic. "That's skill."

Scowling, Naruto put the drumsticks into the holder. "Singin' is the easiest part of this dumb game. You just kinda have to sing it on tune, but I've got to work the pedal and somehow simultaneously hit all these damn colors."

"I never pegged you as a sore loser." Sasuke smirked. "You act like I wouldn't get a perfect score on the drums, or the guitar if I tried, but, remind me again who's had the highest scores so far?"

"Guh, you really are competitive, aren't you?" Naruto crossed his arms. "I dunno if I like this side of you."

Sasuke walked over to him. "I thought you said you liked all sides of me."

"Yeah, but that's because I forgot about this one where you get all crazy cocky when we play video games. Or any games for that matter."

"Especially the head games, I'm sure," Itachi added, but he was smiling in amusement. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. This is so entertaining, after all."

Naruto glared, but Sasuke poked at his personal space with the microphone. "Are you not entertained?" he asked.

"Shove it, Maximus."

"My name," this time he poked Naruto's shoulder, "is Gladiator."

Naruto snatched the microphone from him. "Your name is cocky douchebag!"

Sasuke chuckled. "Does that mean we're done for the evening?"

"I know I'm ready for bed," said Itachi, "But you two kids stay up as long as you want." He got up and gave Naruto's head a pat and, even though he grumbled, he hugged Sasuke and kissed him on the top of his head.

When he started going up the stairs, Naruto noticed Sasuke watching his brother's back.

"S'up?" He asked.

Sasuke shook his head. "I guess I am a little tired. How about you?"

"Well, after that nap I'm kinda wound, but I don't mind if you wanna go to bed."

"Actually," said Sasuke, clearing his throat. "Would you mind if I went to talk to my brother for a while?"

"No, not at all. I think that's a good idea. I'll entertain myself, don't worry. I'll watch somethin' on TV down here."

Sasuke didn't move right away. He glanced at Naruto again and, without another word or a touch or a kiss, he followed after his brother. Clearly, he had something on his mind and rightly so since tomorrow was the last day before the trial. Taking in a deep breath, Naruto got up and put all the equipment away. In order to give them as much privacy as he could, he stayed in the basement and watched TV. He piled some pillows under his head and pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt. It felt drafty because of the garage door. There was a bit of wine left in Sasuke's glass, so Naruto grabbed it off the coffee table and drank it, wiping it off his lip with a swipe of his tongue.

At the end of the night, even though they'd spent the last few hours goofing off and having fun, the tension was starting to return already. It was hard for him to stay still like this when he wanted to do everything he could to take their minds off of worst case scenarios. But, he also knew how much Sasuke didn't like people interfering. Eventually, it would've only annoyed him when he realized what Naruto was doing. And, he supposed, it really was best for Sasuke to feel all the things he was meant to in a situation like this because the possibility of some really nasty consequences if a guilty verdict was announced seemed very, very real. Hell, Naruto didn't even know if Sasuke wanted him to go to the courthouse on Wednesday. So far, he'd been saying that Naruto didn't need to go, and he also didn't know what had happened today since they hadn't brought it up in conversation yet. He'd just wait until they went to bed to talk about it.

Except, after two hours passed, and Naruto was able to watch Ghostbusters II in its entirety, there was still no sign of Sasuke. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Figuring Sasuke would've at least told him goodnight if he'd headed to bed, Naruto got up from the couch, turned off the lights and TV, and went upstairs. He glanced down the hallway that led to Itachi's bedroom and saw that the door was closed, but light bled through the crack underneath it.

Quietly, he made his way to the bathroom opposite Sasuke's room to brush his teeth, use the toilet, and wash his face and hands. When he crossed the hall and went into the bedroom, he checked his phone for messages. There was one from Ino asking how he was doing (which he found very sweet, especially in that moment), so he responded with "pretty good" so as not to freak her out. Not that anything was going on, but yeah. He stripped out of his clothes and folded them neatly to be tucked back into his suitcase tomorrow since he was too lazy to do it right this second.

Turning the lights off, he walked back to the bed and sluggishly crawled across the top of it. He burrowed under the sheets, his back to the door. It was hard to immediately fall asleep since he kept wondering when Sasuke would be coming in, if they would talk, would he be upset, was there anything he'd be able to do for him. But, even after another half hour, he didn't hear the sound of footsteps, and thinking Sasuke would come to bed when he was ready, Naruto closed his eyes and made a serious attempt at falling asleep.


	8. Naruto's nightmare

He wasn't sure what woke him - the sound of the gasp he made or the actual events of the dream itself. Panting, Naruto placed a hand on top of his chest, his heart racing fast underneath it. He glanced to his side, but Sasuke wasn't there.

"Fucking hell," he murmured, moving his hand to his forehead so that he could wipe the sweat away.

It took a few minutes for him to calm down. It was still dark. He couldn't have been asleep for more than a couple of hours.

What a shitty dream that had been. Even worse than the one last week where he'd actually had to leave the bedroom because it upset him so much. Finally, he sat up, eyes adjusting to the dark. He grabbed his phone and saw that it was around 3 a.m. Since he was pretty damn sure he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, he scooted over to the edge of the bed and, with a grunt, stood and searched around for a pair of boxers. Was it just him, or did the room seem really warm, too?

After he put on the shorts, he switched on the bedroom light and had to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness. The door opened with a creak as he set foot into the hallway. The house was dark and completely silent. He thought maybe Sasuke was up somewhere brooding, or maybe just watching TV. Not wanting to leave him alone, he searched around for a while - the living room, the deck, the kitchen, the basement. He was more than positive Sasuke wouldn't be upstairs, but he went there anyway (though not inside his parents' room). He even checked the spare bedroom and the garage. When he couldn't find Sasuke anywhere, he stepped outside on the porch to see if he was there or had maybe taken the car, which in that case he would be going back to his phone to see where the hell he'd gone at this hour.

However, there was one last place he could be, but there'd been no light on in Itachi's bedroom. Naruto headed back that way again and listened for any kind of noise. It was quiet. He didn't want to wake Itachi, but did want to make sure Sasuke was okay. Very carefully, he grabbed the doorknob, slowly turned it, and opened the door a crack.

It was kind of hard to see, but he'd left the light on in the living room, so he could at least tell there were two people on the bed, their backs to each other. Sasuke was on top of the comforter, still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. Naruto's heart clenched a little. He looked on at the both of them for another 10 seconds before closing the door. He didn't let go of the knob right away and kept staring at his shaking fingers.

For some reason, his vision got all blurry, and he forced himself to remove his hand. He started chewing at his lip as he turned to go the other way. With his mouth suddenly very dry, Naruto walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Standing in front of the sink, he stared out the window. The night appeared surprisingly clear. It wasn't even raining, but he could see the wind shaking the branches of the trees in the front yard.

He stood there for a long time.

Eventually, he set the glass into the sink and braced himself using the counter as he let his head droop. He kept bending his right knee and pressing his toes and the top of the sole of his foot into the floor, lost in thought. How long he remained like that, he couldn't really tell, but at some point, he did go back to the bedroom, where he sat on the edge of Sasuke's side of the bed. Next to his phone was Sasuke's MP3 player, and since his was tucked inside his backpack, he decided to use his boyfriend's.

Getting under the thin sheet, he rested his head on Sasuke's pillow. It smelled like him, which was both comforting and... sad somehow. Naruto turned on the music and inserted the earbuds. He picked a random playlist and settled into bed, the volume up loud enough that the music echoed inside his head. He was thankful the first song was upbeat, even if the lyrics kind of... hit close to home in a weird way.

He let out a breath but, in his mind's eye, kept seeing Sasuke lying there in his brother's bed. He couldn't help thinking about everything Sasuke must be feeling. It really worked him up and made him incredibly anxious to be able to do something for him, but, honestly, what could he do? He really thought the best thing for him right now was to spend as much time with Itachi as possible. Still, though. It fucking broke his heart. What if the worst really did happen? It's not like he hadn't been considering it all this time, and, however optimistic he tried to be... what if he was wrong?

Despite what anyone else might think of Sasuke's sometimes cold demeanor, there's no length he wouldn't go to when it came to the people he loved. Naruto sensed that about him from the very beginning because he was also the same. If he ever lost his father... what would he do? Could he handle a relationship on top of losing the last of his family? Would he let Sasuke be there for him, or would he push everyone away like he'd done at first when his Mom died?

But, he hadn't discounted _everyone_ back then. He'd been so angry with his Dad at the time, even blaming him, but at least there'd been Gaara. Naruto could've been the biggest asshole in the world to him, but his friend never took it personally, probably because they spent most of their days getting into trouble. So, he knew he could be there for Sasuke. Except, what if Sasuke pushed him out of his life, asked him to go away, wouldn't let him help, or even worse... what if Naruto _couldn't_ help him? The scariest thing in the world for him was the possibility that there was absolutely _nothing_ he could do for someone he loved. When they needed it; when they were in a position to get hurt.

Stupid dream.

Even though it was already painfully loud, he turned up the volume so that maybe it would overpower all these dumb thoughts that kept overriding all sense of rationality. He needed to remain calm, like a rock. Because he thought that's what Sasuke would do if their positions were reversed. There was no sense in suddenly panicking about 'what if' when what he should be doing is remaining positive and optimistic.

Right.

That was easy.

Well, he hoped he'd gotten enough sleep from his nap and the two hours he'd slept tonight because the chance of him falling asleep again... seemed highly unlikely. 

* * *

><p>Though his eyes were closed, he still hadn't fallen asleep even as birds began to chirp noisily and he could sense the sunlight starting to creep its way in behind the blinds. It was then that Sasuke finally came into the bedroom, "waking" Naruto by lightly touching his cheek. Naruto didn't want to look at him at first for whatever reason, but he had no choice after Sasuke tugged one of the earbuds out and sat on the edge of the bed.<p>

"How can you sleep when the music is up this loud?" He took the MP3 player from Naruto's hand and turned down the volume.

"I wasn't really sleeping, I guess," he murmured.

"What's wrong with you?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows drawn up in concern. He seemed troubled himself, so Naruto didn't feel like unloading on him.

"Nothin'," he answered. "I'm fine."

"Is it because I didn't sleep in the bed - ?"

"_No_," he said immediately, shaking his head. "It wasn't that."

Sasuke shrugged. "I fell asleep while talking to Itachi."

"I figured." He tried to smile.

"You're worrying me."

"Sorry." He rubbed at his face. "I dunno what's wrong with me."

Sasuke pressed the back of his hand to Naruto's forehead. "You don't feel warm. Your skin's a little clammy, though."

Naruto took hold of Sasuke's hand and moved it away, holding it briefly before letting him go. "I'm fine, I said."

"Hm."

"Are you coming to bed now?" He asked.

"Yeah. Itachi's still asleep. We might as well sleep while we can."

Naruto nodded and sat up. He removed the other earbud and placed the MP3 player on the table. They stared at one another, but Naruto didn't give anything away, even when Sasuke kept looking at him with concern.

"Well, you can't sleep in this," Naruto said, and, grabbing for the bottom of Sasuke's shirt, started pulling it over his head. When Sasuke stood up to take off his pants, Naruto got up with him, stopping his hands so that he could undo his belt for him. He slipped it through the loops and carelessly tossed it onto the floor. Sasuke stared intensely at him, questioning and curious. Naruto undid his pants and tugged them downward until Sasuke was able to step out of them.

Slowly, Naruto rose to his feet and stood in front of his boyfriend with his head bowed, no longer able to look him in the eye, even when Sasuke tilted his chin up.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing."

"There's something wrong." He let go of Naruto's chin, his hand finding its way between them to barely brush his fingers across Naruto's stomach. "Naruto."

Naruto bit his lip. "Just shut up for a second."

And maybe because Sasuke knew he was upset, he didn't say anything else. Naruto moved his hands to Sasuke's waist, playing with the waistband of his underwear, not entirely sure what he wanted or what was right. He had his eyes open, gaze somewhere around Sasuke's navel, watching as his thumb kept folding and unfolding the top of his boyfriend's briefs.

"You...," he started to say, but hearing his voice tremble, cut himself off. He took in a deep breath, and looked up. "You can't leave me."

"What?"

He didn't explain, and, instead, put a hand to Sasuke's chest, giving him a hard shove toward the wall, hard enough that his back hit with an audible thud. Sasuke looked surprised at first, but then his expression became unreadable when Naruto approached him and placed his hands on either side of Sasuke's head. After a minute, Sasuke reached around to touch the lower part of his back.

"No," said Naruto.

"Why not?" Sasuke asked gruffly and pulled Naruto flush against him anyway.

Naruto sucked in a breath as their skin came into contact.

"Talk to me," Sasuke whispered, which was odd to hear him say after he'd said it earlier.

"I don't want to talk."

"What do you want then..." His hand traveled up Naruto's back, "...I'll give it to you."

He shook his head, placing his hands on Sasuke's chest. "Stop thinking about me and what I want. I want to think about what you want."

A hand slid down his back again until it reached his ass. Naruto moved his own hands to the waistband of Sasuke's briefs, playing with it again, trying to decide if he wanted to pull them off, or...

He slipped his hand inside Sasuke's underwear, loving that audible exhale of air that rushed from his boyfriend's lips. On autopilot, he stroked him the way he knew Sasuke liked, although with a sense of urgency that matched the anxiety growing inside his chest. When Sasuke leaned his head back, Naruto latched onto his neck, biting him first before sucking hard at his skin.

Sasuke put a hand at the back of his head. The touch drew his gaze up and, seeing that his mouth was open and willing, he kissed him forcefully. As Sasuke's mouth opened even wider at the tug he gave his cock, Naruto sucked on his tongue and moaned with him. Both of Sasuke's hands were in his hair as they kissed, but then Naruto sunk to his knees, yanked his underwear all the way down - barely giving his boyfriend enough time to step out of them - and took him into his mouth.

He ran his hand up and down Sasuke's left thigh, nails scraping across his skin. Gently, Sasuke pushed at the back of his head, and Naruto swallowed him as deep as he could, taking a sharp inhale through his nose and moaning around Sasuke's length. When he glanced up, he felt satisfaction in what he saw, but wanted to give him something more. More pleasure, more things to distract him. He coated Sasuke's cock with his tongue, pulling away long enough to spit on the tip, stroke him again, and then suck him until it made his jaw ache.

"_Close_," Sasuke murmured after several more minutes, and Naruto could feel the muscles of his thigh tensing under his touch.

Naruto's head bobbed between his legs, slurping loudly as he mouthed and sucked on him - until Sasuke let out a loud grunt as he came inside his mouth. He got to see it all, too, the moment of his climax always one of the fucking sexiest things he'd ever seen in his life. He didn't quit blowing him while he swallowed the rest, still allowing him to fuck his mouth. Eventually, Sasuke had to push him off just to get him to stop.

Licking his lips, Naruto got to his feet. It was Sasuke that reached for him, bringing their bodies together again as he lay a possessive hand on Naruto's backside and another at the side of his head, fingers running through his hair. Naruto's hands glided down to Sasuke's waist. He felt highly attuned to the sound of his boyfriend's shaky breaths. How it made him feel incredibly alive and... oddly territorial.

Taking Sasuke's cock in hand, he kissed him once before stepping back, nearly out of his reach. Sasuke sought out his mouth again, and as he gave him a squeeze, he groaned Naruto's name into their kiss.

Hearing it, Naruto embraced him fully as he rubbed against him. Sasuke tried to touch him, but Naruto grabbed his wrist and trapped it against the wall.

"It's not about me," he growled.

"Naruto," Sasuke said, in the way he often did when he was set to argue.

"Shut up," Naruto told him. "And go to bed."

Sasuke cupped his face, studying him intently, attempting to figure out what was going on inside his head, but even Naruto wasn't sure.

He lifted his eyebrows. "It's just a blowjob," he explained. "I was in the mood."

"You're keeping something from me," Sasuke replied.

"I'm fine. In fact, I'm much better now."

"I don't understand."

"What's to understand? You're hot. I would've fucked you, but we're both tired."

"Naruto..."

Leaning in, Naruto kissed him, and gradually started to suck at Sasuke's bottom lip while letting his hand travel down the length of Sasuke's chest and stomach - running his palm over all the hard muscles and angles of his body.

When he parted from him, it was to say, "I'm gonna go brush m'teeth, and then I'll be back."

But, as he started to open the door, Sasuke caught him by the wrist.

"When you come back, you _will_ explain."

"Nothin' to explain," he replied. "You're readin' too much into it."

"I'll be here when you get back." Sasuke let go of his wrist.

Naruto opened the door and before heading out, mumbled, "I hope so." 

* * *

><p>When he came back inside the room, Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, fingers steepled together and elbows resting on his knees. He looked like he'd been waiting for Naruto this entire time, but instead of making a big deal about it, Naruto went to the other side of the bed and got under the blankets.<p>

"You really don't want to talk to me about it?" Sasuke asked. "You're just going to sleep?"

"There's nothing to talk about," he replied.

Sasuke turned around, crossing his legs underneath him. He'd changed into a pair of navy sweatpants and a plain black t-shirt. "I don't get why you keep saying that. You were clearly upset about something, or is it normal for you to shove me into walls?"

"What? Like we've never been rough with each other before?"

"You act like I don't know when you're using sex to distract me."

He tilted his head, his voice flat, "Maybe it was me that needed the distraction."

"Was it? I don't know what you're thinking. You were fine earlier, and now you're not. What happened in between then and now to upset you?"

"I'm not fuckin' upset, okay?" He blurted. "Even if I was upset, I wouldn't tell you because like you need one more thing to worry about."

Sasuke studied him before replying, "I see."

"Can we just go to bed? I've slept for shit so far, and I wanna be able to function somewhat today." He rolled onto his side, with his back to Sasuke. He bunched the sheet to his chest, knowing he was being childish, but if Sasuke knew what was really on his mind, he _would_ get upset, because he always got upset when Naruto acted worried about him.

Rather than argue with him further, Sasuke slid across the bed and lay behind him, not touching him, but close enough that Naruto could feel his breath ghosting across his neck at times.

"I don't know what to say," Sasuke confessed after several minutes of silence.

"I don't _want_ you to say anything."

Sasuke sighed. "If I guess it, will you at least tell me if I'm right?"

"Probably not."

"Fine. Is it something I did?"

"No."

"Is it something I didn't do?"

"_No_."

"Does this have to do with this afternoon? Are you back to thinking about Yahiko?"

Naruto almost rolled over at that, but just bit at his lip and made an annoyed grunt. "Why the hell would I be bothered about that?"

"Is it Itachi? If you're feeling neglected - "

"Jesus Christ, Sasuke, would you stop it already? I'm not jealous. You didn't do anything. I slept all of two hours, had a shitty dream, and woke up in a bad mood. You weren't here, so I got worried and went around the whole damn house looking for you, thinking maybe you'd even driven off somewhere 'cause you needed space or needed to think! And I have no idea what the hell is gonna happen in the next few days, and we haven't even talked about what we'll do if the worst happens, and - " He stopped, and it was almost like he couldn't speak anymore. Instead, he was just taking in large gasps of air.

Sasuke touched him on the shoulder. "Naruto?"

But the pain in his chest got worse, squeezing the breath out of him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down, but the more he thought he couldn't breathe or was having a heart attack, the harder it became to take in any air.

"Hey," said Sasuke, shaking him. "Naruto."

Naruto shook his head, and in his mind he was saying _can't breathe_, but nothing came out. He heard Sasuke let out a curse, and then he got up behind Naruto, wrapping an arm around his front and placing his hand against Naruto's chest.

"Match your breathing to mine," Sasuke said into his ear. "You're hyperventilating."

Panic roared in his head. He could only think about two things, suffocating and Sasuke leaving him, and the more he thought about both, the more his head felt like it was going to explode. Except, Sasuke pressed his hand more firmly to his bare chest and purposefully slowed down his own breathing.

"Follow my breath, Naruto," he instructed. "You're okay. You're fine."

Naruto didn't think it was fine at all, but eventually his breathing began to sync with Sasuke's. Continuously, he murmured things in Naruto's ear, words meant to calm him - not that he was processing any of it. The comfort of Sasuke's touch and voice slowly dulled the panic, though. Even if his heart still raced under his hand. Sasuke pressed his lips to the back of his neck. It felt as if a lot of time passed before Sasuke rolled him over.

"You're all sweaty now," he said softly, pushing his bangs to the side.

Naruto's eyes remained shut, his head tilted down as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "We should talk."

"Clearly." Sasuke held his chin and lifted his head; Naruto opened his eyes.

"If Itachi's found guilty," he said, "... would you leave me?"

Sasuke's lips parted in surprise, and he let go of his chin.

"If Itachi's found guilty, will you move back to Seattle to be closer to him?"

"Naruto..."

Naruto clutched his shirt. "I didn't wanna tell you that I was worrying about it, but I want to know what you're thinking. So that I can at least be prepared - "

"I don't know."

Naruto blinked at him "W-what?"

"I don't know how I'll feel," said Sasuke, raising his voice. "How could I _possibly_know how I would feel in that moment of being in court and the jury announcing my brother has been found guilty? You're asking me to know, but how can I? I don't know, Naruto. Any more than you do."

"So, what do you want me to do then?" Surprisingly, his tone came out quiet and sincere. "Tell me how you want me to be should that happen. If you don't know how you'll feel, what do you want me to do?"

Sasuke sighed and shifted onto his back, covering both eyes with his hands. "I don't know. Can't we just... I don't want to think about it." He removed his hands and glared accusingly at Naruto. "I thought you said it was all going to be okay?"

"That's what I want to believe! I do believe it! But I also can't stop thinking about the possibility of losin' you after all of this! Of you - " He stopped himself and rubbed at his chest. "Listen. Let's not worry about it. I said I didn't wanna talk about it, and obviously for good reason. I will stick by you no matter what, I swear to God, so even if you push me away, I will wait."

Sasuke shook his head. "I can't... I just can't think about this on top of everything with Itachi. I want to be honest with you. I could lie and say it'll all be fine no matter what, but _I don't know_. I just don't. I may go crazy. I may push you away. Maybe I'll even think that I mean it. Maybe I _will_ mean it, but why would I want to think about that?"

"So don't," replied Naruto, and he got out of bed. "I don't want you to think about it. I'll try not to think about it, and we'll keep insistin' that it'll be all okay, and if it doesn't - whatever. It's cool. I'm sure I'll stop worrying about it." He grabbed his pillow and went around to the other side of the bed to get his phone.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked.

"M'gonna go sleep on the couch downstairs."

"Seriously?" Sasuke asked. "Would you rather I lied to you?"

"I dunno. But, clearly we both have stuff to think about, and I'd rather do it in the basement. I won't be able to sleep anyway, so you might as well have the bed." He had a hold of the doorknob when Sasuke came up behind him and pressed his hand to the door, shutting it.

"Don't," he said.

"I'm not mad, Sasuke. I'm just... tired."

Sasuke sighed and placed his other hand at the center of his back. "In this dream... was I wearing glasses again? Were we fighting?"

"No..." He looked over his shoulder at him. "I was watchin' some guys kick the shit out of you, and there wasn't a goddam thing I could do to help. I couldn't get to you for some reason. Every time I tried to run closer to you, you just got further and further away."

"That's...fortuitous."

Naruto snorted. "Just let me sleep on it, and I'll be fine."

Sasuke removed his hand from the door. "If you're sure. I won't stop you."

"I'm sure." He opened the door. "We can talk about it later. If you ever feel like talkin' about it." Once he left the room, he shut the door behind him without looking back. If he slept next to Sasuke, he'd only keep thinking 'is this the last time we'll get to be like this?' He couldn't hold it against him for not having an answer, but that certainly didn't make him feel any better about it. At least he could've said something like "Yeah Naruto, even if I do go crazy and disappear and move back to Seattle and cut off all contact with you, I want you to chase after me and kick the crap out of me until I realize how stupid I'm being and that you could help me through this."

Scowling all the way to the basement, Naruto dragged the afghan off of the back of the couch and covered himself with it. It was still kind of cold down here, but he piled all of the throw pillows on top of him like a barrier, curled up against the couch, and buried his face into the cushion.

Stupid Sasuke.

Maybe he could've considered that if this might be the last happy night they have together, perhaps they should spend it with each other, but it would be no better than lying if he stayed in bed and pretended everything was all okay when it wasn't.

Perhaps he'd blown it out of proportion because he was tired and stressed out and absorbing everyone else's stress and worrying nonstop, but... he was scared.

And he didn't know what to do.

But neither did Sasuke, and he was supposed to be the one with all the answers.

* * *

><p>an: this is where the dream fic(s) kick in. there's one i wrote for naruto, but sasuke's turned into... a whole sidefic, which I will post separately. I'll post Naruto's "dream interlude" as the next chapter here, though. so, basically, i'll start posting the rest of seattle once i've uploaded all of dream (probably).


	9. Seattle Interlude 1: Naruto's Dream

**Seattle Interlude 1: Naruto's Dream**

**If it's not clear by the above words, this is a dream Naruto has following chapter 8. Sasuke's dream is posted as its own story because it grew in my head.**

* * *

><p>Naruto was in the hospital room, in one of the hard metal chairs that always made his butt hurt after an hour of sitting on it. His Dad was at work, and Mom had fallen asleep about 20 minutes after the nurse came in to check on her. He'd driven, as usual, directly from school. The textbooks and notebooks that he'd stuffed in his backpack lay scattered across the table. Not that he'd got much work done. In fact, he kept staring out the window. It was late November, and the leaves covered the hospital grounds. He tapped his mechanical pencil against his Algebra textbook. Truth be told, he was doing terrible in most of his classes, which wasn't saying much as he'd never been the greatest student anyway. Of course he wanted to be with his mom, but there was something considerably depressing about being in the hospital every day. The antiseptic smell, the droning sounds of the machines. It got on his nerves after a while.<p>

With a sigh, Naruto set his pencil down and rummaged through his backpack for a couple of dollars so that he could get a Coke out of the vending machine. After finding a couple of crumpled up bills that he stuffed into his back jean pocket, he gave one quick look to see if his mom was still asleep, and then headed out of the room.

Walking by the nurse's station, he waved at the two familiar women who now knew him by name. As the doors to the ICU unit slid open, he wandered the hallway that led past an empty lobby and a couple of elevators. It was a pretty quiet day, really, he thought to himself as he rounded the corner and entered the room where the vending machines were located. Frowning, he studied everything in the snack machine. Cokes were only 1.25, so he could probably get a bag of chips, too. He pulled out his money and attempted to smooth it out. He purchased his bottle of Coke first, and with his three quarters, decided on a bag of BBQ chips. Shoving the coins in, he punched in the numbers. The bag of chips wiggled, started to drop, but got stuck in the metal attachment.

"Of course," he muttered. At first, he just tapped on the glass, and then he used his fist to give it a sound knocking, but the stupid thing wouldn't even budge, and he had no money left to get something different. Naruto grabbed both sides of the machine, giving it a pretty aggressive shake. Not having any luck with it, he hit his head on the glass - breath fogging up a spot on it because of his heavy breathing.

"I see," he said, "A simple bag of chips was too much to ask for, eh?" He tilted his head up, staring at the ceiling and whatever unknown entity was up there always making him feel like every aspect of life lately had to be extremely difficult.

The door to the room opened behind him, and he turned around. It was another kid about his age, Asian by the looks of it, but hell if he could pinpoint from where. He was dressed in dark jeans and a t-shirt with symbols on it he couldn't read. As he walked in, he barely paid Naruto any attention other than to say "Excuse me".

Naruto blinked at him. "Huh?"

The kid gave him a blank stare. "I'd like to get something out of the vending machine."

"Oh," he said stupidly and pointed. "But those are my bag of chips."

The boy looked where Naruto pointed and then back at him, an eyebrow raised. "And?"

Naruto scowled. "So you're just gonna have to wait your turn until they come out."

"Oh, yeah? Is that so?" He asked Naruto, looking amused.

"Do you think this is funny?"

"Move." The punk kid had the audacity to shoulder into him as he passed by. "I don't want your stupid chips. I'm getting something else, so after I'm done you can go back to pining over your greasy snack food."

"Hey!" Naruto grabbed him by the back of the shirt, but the next thing he knew, a leg slid behind his and caused him to lose his balance. As he started to trip, an arm wrapped around his chest, and suddenly he was slammed into the machine. He was so much in shock that he couldn't say anything. Two very dark, intense eyes bore into him while a forearm pressed to his throat, making it hard to breathe. Their faces were extremely close, enough that he could count each individual eyelash if he wanted to. The room felt uncomfortably quiet, frozen in time even, until there was a soft plunk as the chips fell into the dispenser tray.

The boy eased off of him, slowly, and moved back a step or two, wearing a disgruntled expression.

It took a minute to recover from his shock. He wasn't ready to turn his back to this guy, who clearly had, like, a black belt in karate or something.

"Are you going to stare at me all day, or are you going to pick up your dumb chips?"

Naruto scrunched his nose. "Like hell I'd wanna stare at _your_ face all day. I'm waitin' for you to pull some cheap move while my back's turned."

"Why? It's not as if you defended yourself when I came at you from the front."

"You're kind of a freak, y'know that?" Deciding it was safe, Naruto turned around so that he could fish out his bag of chips. As he took a step to the side, the other teenager approached the machine and punched in the number for a granola bar. "Seriously? You're gonna eat a granola bar? This is a snack machine. How is a granola bar a snack?"

The boy glared. "How about you mind your own business? You couldn't even work it properly."

"Obviously this machine has somethin' against me," Naruto argued and pointed at him. "It was probably so excited to get rid of those dumb granola bars that it was happy to spit it out. It was just keepin' my chips for itself since it's such a greedy bastard."

"You're an idiot," he told Naruto.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" The boy smirked.

Naruto glared. "Maybe I am. This is a hospital, y'know. I could very well be here because I'm deaf. I just happen to be really good at reading lips."

"Funny," he said. "I was wondering why you kept staring at my mouth."

"Why you - " But just as Naruto was about to make a lunge for him, someone else opened the door to the vending room. Unfortunately, it was the mother of a young female patient in the ICU. "Hello," he said to the woman, beaming at her. "Nice weather we're havin' today, right? How's Allison doing today?"

The older woman selected a Diet Coke from the machine. "She's doing well, Naruto. Thanks for asking. How's your Mom? Better this week I hope?"

Looking askew, Naruto cleared his throat and touched his hand to the side of his neck. "Er. She's been really tired, and, uh, havin' some problems with her kidneys."

She gave him a sympathetic look and placed a hand on his shoulder, which made him feel a bit embarrassed. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I'll be sure to drop in and say hello to her soon."

"She'd like that," he replied, attempting a smile.

"Well, I should get back," she said, nodding to the other boy and then him. "Take care, Naruto."

"Thanks," he murmured. "You, too." He waited until she left the room and, gradually, raised his gaze to the other boy. "What are you still doin' here?"

"I wasn't really in a position to leave, now was I?" He told Naruto. "You were blocking the exit. Plus, if I would've left, it might've looked like I was running away."

Naruto snorted. "Whatever. Hey. Why are you here anyway? I haven't seen you around before."

"My mother's here for a conference with some hospital administrators. I thought it was a good excuse to get out of school for a week. I'd never been to Chicago."

"Tch. If you're here on vacation, why would you wanna spend your time here? You should be out explorin' the city. There's a shit-ton of stuff to do."

"We just flew in about two hours ago. There wasn't enough time to check into the hotel. I'm stuck here."

Naruto sighed. "I know the feelin'. I mean, if you want, I can tell you the best places to visit."

The other boy raised an eyebrow. "Why would you do that? Weren't you about to hit me earlier?" He sneered. "Not that you could land a single scratch on me."

"I'm sorry that I didn't grow up doin' karate like you did, Mr. Miyagi."

"I would say that's racist, but Mr. Miyagi was played by a Japanese-American. Also, it's not karate that I used on you, it's jujutsu." It was the first time this person smiled at him.

Naruto brushed the side of his nose as he laughed. "You're funny."

"Hey, Naruto. Since both of us seem to have some free time, would you like to... hang out?"

"Where? There's nowhere to go around here except the cafeteria. Although, I guess the lobby was empty. There's a TV. Not that the volume is ever on."

"It's a good thing you're so talented at reading lips then."

"Ha, yeah." He chuckled. "I like your shirt, by the way, but what the hell does it mean?"

"Ah," the boy glanced down at it and shrugged. "My brother picked this up for me last summer when he was in Japan. It says 'Stop being such a nosy idiot'."

"Really?"

The boy shook his head. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you that gullible's written on the ceiling."

"Oh, I see. You lied. Well, that's rude! I was showin' interest in your stupid shirt and payin' you a compliment. Are you always this sarcastic and hostile?"

"Yes. Yes, I think so. Especially with strangers." He flashed Naruto a smirk. "And blond idiots."

Naruto touched his hair. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," he answered. "It suits you."

"Be careful." Naruto grinned. "I'm gonna start thinkin' you're hittin' on me."

"Hardly." The boy sniffed, and Naruto thought he appeared a bit flustered. "I have a girlfriend."

"Sure you do," he said. "Since you know my name now, do you wanna tell me yours?"

"...It's Sasuke."

"Sasuke, eh? Cool. Let's go take over the lobby, and you can eat your dumb granola bar."

* * *

><p>They were sitting at a table in the lobby, Naruto munching on his chips and Sasuke eating his granola bar.<p>

"So where did you fly in from?" Naruto asked, wiping some of the grease from his chips onto the side of his jeans.

"Seattle," answered Sasuke. "Do you live around here?"

"Uh, I live a little ways south of here, in Joliet?" When Sasuke didn't show any sign of recognizing the name, Naruto shook his head. "Eh, it's nowhere big as Chicago. So, Seattle? That's pretty cool. I dunno much about it except coffee, rain, and Nirvana."

"I suppose that's more than most people might know," Sasuke replied. "You like Nirvana?"

"Sure. Who doesn't? I like a lotta different music, though. You kinda look like you could be in a band with that hair. Do you play any instruments?"

Sasuke set down his half-eaten granola bar. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"Uh, nothin'. I like it. But it's all styled and stuff, and the way it's pointy in the back? I dunno. I wasn't insultin' you or anything. Consider it a compliment."

"Now who's hitting on whom?" Sasuke asked, smirking at him.

Naruto laughed, grabbing for his bottle of Coke. "It might be okay to joke about that stuff on the West Coast," he leaned forward conspiratorially, "But there are still some pretty conservative folks out this way."

"I don't see anyone else here but you and me."

"True. That means that your secret's safe with me."

Sasuke's eyebrow went up. "What secret?"

"Y'know. That you're into me."

The other boy snorted. "Are you always this obnoxious?"

"Probably." He held out his Coke. "Want some?"

"Not after you slobbered all over it. Besides, I don't really like soft drinks."

"You're like a squirrel. I bet you only eat nuts and berries. Hey, you didn't answer my question about if you played anything? I have this friend who's learnin' to play guitar. His older brother is teachin' him. I wanna learn, but I'm afraid my fingers aren't very coordinated."

"The guitar's not too hard to learn," said Sasuke and, absently, stared at the fingers on his right hand. Naruto tried to catch a glance at what he was looking at. They were a bit calloused, but he didn't entirely know what that meant.

"You play guitar?"

Sasuke set his hand on the table. "Not professionally."

"That's awesome. Even if you're bein' a smartass, that's really very cool."

"Is that offer of your Coke still good?" Sasuke asked, reaching for it before Naruto even gave an answer.

He smiled. "Sure."

Sasuke took a sip of it and passed it back to him, pulling a face. "Disgusting."

He snickered. "So, how long are you in town for? Just the week?"

"I think so, yes. We leave on Sunday."

There was a lull in the conversation as Naruto glanced up at the TV. Sasuke looked over his shoulder.

"Can you tell what they're saying?" Sasuke asked, turning back to give him a wry grin.

"Probably stuff about how the world has gone to shit."

"So cynical. I didn't know blondes were capable of such deep thoughts?"

"I'm not sure if that qualifies as a racist remark, but it's gotta be pretty close." Naruto grinned at him. "You have somethin' against blondes? I take it your girlfriend isn't blond?"

Sasuke's grin faltered a bit. "I don't know. I suppose the only person I've really been interested in had... slightly reddish hair."

"Ah! My best friend is a ginger," Naruto exclaimed with an excited slap to the table top. "If I'm not here, I'm usually hangin' out with him."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "How long has your mother been in the hospital?"

"Eh." He scratched at the back of his head. "A while. They diagnosed her with cancer about... six months ago? We've been in the ICU for almost a month now, I'd say."

"Is she..." Sasuke looked at him intensely, "Not getting any better?"

He bit his lip and glanced down at the table. "Not really."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

The sincerity in the other boy's voice surprised him, and he looked up. Usually when he told kids at his school, they reacted oddly, like it made them uncomfortable. They never knew what to say. But Sasuke looked like he meant it, and for that, he felt unexpectedly grateful.

"...Thank you," he murmured. "I appreciate that. But," Naruto broke out into a smile, "There's always hope, right? Miracles happen or something? Or is that just what they show on TV?"

"I don't know, Naruto. But, I don't see how remaining optimistic hurts anyone."

Naruto couldn't help but stare at him. "You're pretty mature for your age, aren't you?"

"And you're pretty immature for yours," Sasuke teased, his tone light so Naruto would know he was joking. "Are we the same age? I don't even know."

"I just turned 16 last month."

"Ah, that makes me older. I turned 16 in July."

Naruto cocked his head and squinted an eye shut. "S'just a few months. I could still take you."

"Not judging by the way I pinned you against the vending machine."

"Please," he said. "I was just caught off guard that one person could be so uncivilized."

Sasuke scoffed and threw his granola bar wrapper at him.

"See," mocked Naruto. "Uncivilized."

"Has anyone ever told you the color of your eyes is very distracting?"

"Huh?"

"They're very blue. Are they contacts?"

"No, of course not." He scowled.

"Don't get offended," said Sasuke. "I'm trying to pay you a compliment."

"Oh. I see what you did there."

"Hn."

"Say, Sasuke..."

"Hm?"

Naruto started drawing lazy circles on the table; he noticed Sasuke watching him do it.

"Do you think this will be the only day you come to the hospital?" he asked.

"Probably."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed."

"Duh," he said. "'Cause I am. I know we just met and stuff, but you coulda hung out with me and my friend, Gaara. Since you like gingers and all."

"Why can't we simply chalk this up to one fateful meeting?" asked Sasuke, and for some reason, it made him feel very sad all of a sudden. It must've showed on his face. "I was... sort of kidding."

He frowned. "I'm not sure that you were."

Sasuke didn't reply.

"I should probably get back to Mom," mumbled Naruto as he grabbed his empty bag of chips and crumpled it. He got to his feet.

"Naruto," said Sasuke. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"It wasn't that," he replied. "Say, would you wanna...hm. Would you wanna meet my mom? She's probably still asleep, and she doesn't look like a sick person. Uh, but I'll understand if you don't want to. I know it's a bit weird to ask - "

Sasuke stood up from the chair. "Stop rambling, idiot. Of course I don't mind meeting your mom. If you don't think she'll be bothered."

"No," he said, smiling widely. "I think she'd really like that. She likes to meet people. Meds might make her a little loopy, but I think you'll like her."

"Okay," Sasuke said simply. "But I can't stay much longer."

Naruto nodded. "Mmkay. Let me throw my shit away, and we'll go see her." He grabbed up Sasuke's wrapper, too, and threw the pop bottle into the recycling bin.

He and Sasuke walked out of the lobby together. Naruto felt a certain lightness to his step as he unfolded his arms from behind his head. They were walking close enough together that their arms brushed on occasion. He thought Sasuke would've been more annoyed by it, but he didn't say anything or try to move further away. Not that he'd admit it, but he felt kind of cool being able to walk at Sasuke's side. Naruto wasn't especially popular at his school since he tended to be a troublemaker and not take things very seriously.

They entered the ICU, and, again, as he passed by the nurse's station, waved to them. As they approached the room, Naruto slowly pushed open the door and found his mom awake. She smiled the instant she saw him, and he smiled back. Sasuke entered behind him.

"Who's this?" asked his mom.

"Ma, this is Sasuke. I ran into him in the vending machine room, and we were just talkin' about stuff. He's from Seattle. Cool, huh?"

"Hello, Sasuke," she said, attempting to sit up in the bed, but as she was having trouble because of the IV, he went to go help her.

"Hello," Sasuke replied. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Kushina. Seattle, huh? It rains a lot there, am I right?"

Naruto chuckled. "That's what I said." He sat on the edge of her bed.

"Don't be shy, Sasuke," said Kushina. "You can come in."

Sasuke, who'd been standing in the doorway, came in a few more steps.

"He can't stay long, though," Naruto told her. "His mom's here for some sorta conference."

"I see. Well. It's always nice to have visitors. You look about Naruto's age." She squinted at Sasuke. "But you're very handsome!"

"Hey, what're you tryin' to say?" Naruto scowled at her. "I'm not handsome?"

"Of course you're handsome," replied Kushina, punching him in the arm. "You look so much like your father."

"Gross. You think Dad's good looking? I don't wanna hear these things!"

"Sasuke, do you talk like this to your mother?"

Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Actually my mother and I are very close."

"Listen to that!" Kushina nudged her son. "That's the proper way for a son to talk about his mother."

"Mooom," Naruto whined.

"Don't you 'mom' me." She pulled Naruto down on top of her and held him in her arms. Despite the fact Sasuke was right there, Naruto didn't feel embarrassed. In fact, he rested his head on his mom's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Sasuke likes redheads," he murmured against her hospital gown. "You should watch out."

"Oh, is that so?" Kushina asked slyly. "I _did_ say he was very handsome."

Naruto snorted. "Uh, yeah, and also very illegal. Besides, he says he has a girlfriend, but I don't think I believe him." Kushina playfully pushed him up off of the bed, and he went to stand at Sasuke's side.

"Some boys are actually mature enough to have girlfriends at your age," said Kushina. "Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

"Some, maybe," Sasuke replied quietly and shared a look with Naruto.

He pouted. "What's so great about bein' mature?"

"He's tolerable," Sasuke said to Kushina, ignoring him. "Maybe not mature, but definitely tolerable." The smirk gave way the fact that he was joking. Kushina let out a delighted little laugh at Naruto's expense.

"I like him, I like him!" She exclaimed. "Naruto's other friend that comes to visit doesn't talk at all. He's a nice boy, but so quiet! Unlike Naruto. He can go on and on about all kinds of things. It's so hard to get him to shut up, which is odd because his Dad is so quiet and thoughtful. I'm not sure where he gets it from. What about you, Sasuke? Are you more like your mother or your father? Oh, I bet you're more like your mom since you said you two were so close - "

"Mom, sheesh," Naruto interrupted. "Are y'gonna let Sasuke get a word in?"

"Oh, sorry." Kushina's cheeks became slightly red. "I keep napping, so I guess I have all this energy. I really love your hair, by the way. It's so stylish, isn't it Naruto?"

"That's what I told him," Naruto replied, eyeing it again and fighting this odd impulse he had to touch it because it was so thick and stiff in the back.

"Naruto is as blond as his father, but he never styles it. He would have tons of girlfriends if he would just use a little product. Too bad you aren't staying longer. You could've given him a few pointers on dressing well and proper hygiene, and - "

Naruto went over to the bed and clapped his hand over his mom's mouth. "Can you please leave me with just a little bit of dignity? He's only here for a short time, and he's gonna think I'm some kind of freak now."

"If I was staying longer," Sasuke said, "I would be happy to help him out in that area."

"...Really?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "I wouldn't mind."

"Well that's good right, Naruto?" said Kushina as she pushed his hand away. "It must mean Sasuke doesn't think you're a hopeless cause. That way when you go to those college parties with Gaara - "

Naruto nearly jumped. "What? I don't go to college parties!"

Kushina smacked him. "You think I don't know what boys your age get up to? Do you think I was born yesterday?"

"No," he answered sulkingly and glared at Sasuke as if it was his fault he'd been found out.

"What did I do?" Sasuke asked.

"It's 'cause you're so perfect. You've overexcited my mother and now she's gonna expect more from me."

Sasuke smirked. "You think I'm perfect?"

"Aren't you?"

"I'd say that's pretty far from the truth," Sasuke answered, and suddenly his phone went off. "Ah, that's probably Mother." He didn't answer it, just looked at the caller ID. "I should probably go."

"So soon?" Kushina asked. "But it was just starting to get fun!"

"I think we have dinner reservations we need to get to, unfortunately," Sasuke told her. "But," he glanced at Naruto and then back to Kushina, "It was nice to meet you."

"Hug me before you go," said Kushina. "I know it's weird, but I'm a hugger."

Politely, Sasuke went to her without hesitating and gave Naruto's mom a hug.

"You smell good, Sasuke," she said as they parted.

"Stop hitting on him!" Naruto told her, flailing his arms.

"Shut up. I'll do what I want! You're not the boss of me!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Stop excitin' yourself so damn much. Your blood pressure's gonna go up, and the nurses are gonna come in here."

He was surprised when Sasuke cuffed him on the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Naruto squawked.

"Don't talk to your mother that way," he said.

Even though he was rubbing his head where he'd been hit, he smiled goofily at Sasuke.

"Make sure you walk him out," Kushina said. "Show him you have some manners."

"I will."

"Bye," Sasuke said to her, and she gave him a friendly wave and a smile.

He exited the room first, and Naruto followed closely behind. They walked through the sliding doors and stopped at the elevators.

"Well, I guess this is it," Naruto said, holding out his hand.

Sasuke eyed it with raised eyebrows.

"What? It's not _that_ dirty," he told him.

"Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"Give me your phone."

"What?"

"I said 'give me your phone'. You have it in your pocket, right?"

"Hey, were you checkin' out my ass or somethin'?" But, he pulled his cheap mobile out of his back pocket and handed it over.

Sasuke flipped it open, stared at the screen, and clicked around on the keypad.

"What are you doin'?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke closed the phone and handed it back to him. "If you need anything. To talk. You have my number."

Naruto clutched the phone tightly.

"What's that look?" Sasuke asked him.

"What look?" Self-consciously, Naruto touched his face.

"Why do you look surprised? Actually, you look like you're ready to cry."

"Shut up." Naruto shoved the phone in his back pocket. "Also, don't construe this as me bein' gay and comin' on to you, but I'm gonna hug you now." Before Sasuke had the chance to protest, Naruto launched himself at the other boy.

Sasuke stiffened in his arms, but after about half a minute, he offered Naruto an awkward pat on the back.

"You _do_ smell good," Naruto mumbled and finally took a step back. "What kind of cologne do you wear?"

Sasuke smirked. "An expensive one."

"Heh. Hey."

"What is it?"

"Thanks for... bein' so cool. I was feelin' kinda down earlier, but...now I feel good. And you made Mom laugh, so..."

"Don't worry about it."

"It's just that...not everyone is nice, y'know what I mean. Especially kids our age. I like you, Sasuke."

Sasuke stared at him.

"What?" He asked. "Did I say somethin' weird?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "You didn't say anything weird at all. You have my number."

"I do." Naruto laughed. "Ha. I said 'I do'. Isn't that what you say when you get married?"

"I'm leaving now." He gave Naruto a dry look.

"Fine. I was only kiddin'. I wouldn't want to make your girlfriend jealous."

The elevator doors slid open, and Sasuke left him and went toward it. He pressed his hand to the door, stopping it from closing.

"Naruto, I don't really have a girlfriend," he said.

"I knew it!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke released the doors, and as they shut, the last thing he saw was Sasuke smirking at him. After the other boy was gone, Naruto stood there a while, staring at his distorted reflection captured by the metal surface of the elevator.

"I didn't even ask his last name," he mumbled. "Not that he asked mine." His mouth scrunched to the side as he hummed curiously. "Sasuke. How long do I have to wait to text you so that it isn't weird, I wonder?"

Shaking his head, he turned and headed back to his mom's room, thinking about all kinds of stuff, but mostly about whether it really rained so often in Seattle and if he'd ever have the opportunity to find out for himself.


	10. The Awakening

**A/N:** If you haven't already, you might want to read "Sasuke's Dream" before reading this. Not super necessary, but some things will fit together better. Now that I've finished posting Dream, I'll be continuing to post the rest of Seattle.

* * *

><p>No matter how long he'd dwelt on what was said between them, Naruto, maybe out of pure mental exhaustion, ended up passing out sometime in the early morning hours. When he woke up, he had no idea what time it was, but it felt like it could've easily been 2 in the afternoon. He lay there for a while, mulling over everything. Of course, he'd said that he would wait for Sasuke no matter what, and he did have every intention of sticking to that.<p>

However, there was this other part of himself that felt kind of... bitter. That Sasuke couldn't give him the courtesy of having even a brief conversation about it. Give him some hope, at least. Sheesh. On the other hand, he also felt really selfish because Sasuke was faced with a very tough situation, and if Naruto was a good boyfriend, he'd simply keep his mouth shut and be there for him no matter what, right? It was just the thought that... what if by the time he returned to Illinois, he'd be going back without a boyfriend? Even if they'd only been together for four months, he honestly couldn't fathom life without Sasuke in it.

Naruto rolled onto his back, and it was then he noticed there was a blanket covering him that hadn't been there last night.

Crap. That bastard. Figures he'd do something like this and not actually wake him.

Getting up from the couch, he pushed away all the pillows, afghan, and blanket. He put everything back in its place before picking up his phone, which he'd left on the coffee table. Surprisingly, it was only a little after 11 a.m., so Naruto went up the stairs since there was no point in hiding out in the basement. It seemed relatively quiet. He walked, first, into the bedroom, but it was empty, and the bed was made. He wandered around the rest of the house until he discovered Itachi out on the deck, sitting at the table and reading a book. There was a mug of something in front of him.

"Mornin'," Naruto said as he closed the door behind him. Sheepishly, he scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward.

"Good morning," Itachi said, setting down the book and greeting him with a smile. "Sasuke's gone out to do a few errands. He should be back shortly."

"Ah," was all he could say in reply.

"Sit down with me?" Itachi asked. "I could do with a bit of company. My brother was considerably grouchy this morning. I imagine that may have to do with you sleeping on the couch last night."

"Er, yeah." Naruto took a seat across from him. "I guess we might've had a small fight."

"I suspected as much." Itachi put his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. He tilted his head in a concerned fashion as he spoke to Naruto. "I know I'm Sasuke's older brother, but if you wanted to talk about it, I'd be very happy to listen."

"I dunno. It feels kinda stupid now. He and I don't usually fight, but I guess I sorta had been holdin' stuff in, and it happened to come out last night."

"I think that considering the situation I've put you both in that it's not at all stupid."

"Oh no," Naruto replied immediately, "It's not you. I mean, it's about what's gonna happen with him and me, but it's also Sasuke's inability to... er. Well. Communicate right now. But I also don't think I can blame him either as you're his priority, and I'm kinda the guy he met four months ago. Even I understand that if I was in his place, I'd be considerin' things like movin' back here to be closer to you."

"Pardon me," said Itachi. "But are you saying my brother plans on moving back to Seattle?"

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno for sure. That's what I'd guess, but... that's the thing. He doesn't wanna talk about it or worry about it, but my fear is that, y'know, when or if he may decide to break up - "

"Naruto," Itachi interrupted. "My brother is not going to break up with you. I've seen the way you two are together, and I assure you that Sasuke is absolutely - "

Naruto put up a hand. "I know how he feels. I do. But, family should come first. I know what it's like to lose people and then only have one precious person left that you'd do anything for. I get where he's comin' from, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it."

"Hm."

Not much feeling like he wanted to talk about it anymore, Naruto gave a look around. The day was beautiful. The sun was out, and it'd been a long time since he'd seen a sky that blue.

"Hard to believe tomorrow's the trial," he murmured, looking back at Itachi. "How do you feel?"

"I suppose you could say I feel resigned to my fate."

"I kinda feel like your fate should be that you're found innocent. There's no way they'll have any kind of evidence to prove you did something you didn't even do."

"Someone did it," Itachi responded thoughtfully, picking up his mug. "But they don't know who is responsible, and as it is an incredibly embarrassing scenario for the company, I'm sure they would love to have someone to blame. However, I'm confident they would prefer it not be their top executive, which is why they never investigated too deeply once I was charged for the crime. Scandals like this cause companies to go bankrupt and fold as we've seen in the news. I can't help but think about all of the employees and their families. I can't willingly allow that to happen if I can help it. Even if it results in my going to jail."

Naruto stared in surprise. It was the first time the two of them openly discussed the situation, and while he very much admired Itachi, he also thought it wasn't fair he would have to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. That didn't sit right with him either. When he was young, he used to believe that the world was a lot more black and white. Even after his mother died, he tried to hold onto some of that optimism, but it only made him angry a lot of the times. When he finally started to accept the possibility of (bad) things happening for a reason (even if he didn't fully understand it), a lot of the difficult stuff became easier to accept. However, he couldn't quite accept this situation at all, but it also wasn't his place to change Itachi's mind either.

"What about Sasuke, though?" Naruto asked. "I mean, not to be a dick, but did you give any consideration to his feelings?"

Itachi smiled crookedly while setting his mug on the table. "I was wondering when you'd ask that."

"Heh. I was tryin' to hold back, but I guess it's somethin' I really gotta know."

"I feel for Sasuke," Itachi said and, giving pause, looked down at the table. "But... the world is so much bigger than him, or me, or you. I have to do what I think is right, and Sasuke will have to accept that."

"That's not much of an answer, y'know," Naruto mumbled. "I mean, you're his brother. You're all he has left, and you're willing to hurt him?"

"It's not my intention to hurt him, but... I have to do this whether he understands or not. The hope is that it will all turn out okay. Somehow." He smiled more fully at Naruto. "Then again, I also thought if something bad was to happen, you'd be there to pick up the pieces."

"That's unfair," Naruto replied, getting angry. "Not 'cause you expect me to do that, because I'd willingly do that a million times over for him, but he needs you. You're his family, Itachi."

"So are you, Naruto. Sasuke can be difficult when he's backed into a corner. He may even fight against what he truly wants, but I know my brother. You have no idea how you've changed him. I'm... so grateful to you. It's actually made it much easier to accept that by the end of tomorrow, I could be going to prison for many, many years." Itachi glanced up at something Naruto couldn't see, and the older man even managed a laugh. "I really am very grateful."

Naruto sighed. "I'm happy you're so confident, but Sasuke's got a mind of his own. If he wants to move back here to be closer to you, he will."

"And what will you do if he does?"

Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but then snapped it shut. He gave it some thought. What would he do? He'd been so sure that Sasuke would simply push him away. There might be other options, though.

"I think," Naruto started as he touched his thumb to his bottom lip, "... I would move here, too. He could push me away and say he has to stay, but... maybe he'd accept me movin' here, too? We could work on your appeal, and even if the worst happens, we could figure out a way to get you out of there."

"Well, I appreciate the sentiment," Itachi said.

"You don't sound very hopeful right now."

"I told you. I'm... resigned. Or, maybe I should say I'm at peace with the decision I've made and the consequences I may have to accept."

"Oh man, you are one stubborn bastard," Naruto said, shaking his head.

"Hn, well. It may run in the family."

Naruto had to laugh. "It's a strong possibility."

"Are you very hungry? You weren't feeling well last night, and I don't think you had much to eat. Could I make you some oatmeal or cereal? Or maybe you can stomach something more substantial?"

"Er." Shyly, Naruto started to bite at his lip. "I heard you may have ordered some Hot Pockets."

"I did," said Itachi. "Sasuke said they're your favorite. The ham and cheese kind in particular."

"I could definitely go for that." Naruto grinned.

"Then I'd be happy to get one for you."

The older man got up from the table, all of his long hair falling behind his shoulders and shining in the bright sun. It was such a weird thing to think, but in that moment, Naruto had this odd idea that Itachi sort of looked like some badass Asian superhero. Like a lone, rogue samurai or something. He carried himself with such grace and poise. Dressed all in black, too, he just...

"Naruto?" Itachi asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I'm comin'."

Maybe there really was something about the Uchiha men that attracted him. Good thing he'd met Sasuke first, though, because he had to figure he could go his whole life and never truly understand the inner mind of Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

><p>After Itachi sat and chatted with him at the dining room table as he ate his Hot Pocket, they eventually wandered back into the older man's room. Itachi had some things to do on the computer (related to the trial), so in order to keep him company, Naruto planted himself on the bed and started to read the book he'd stolen off of Sasuke's shelf the other night. It was kind of nice, really. Every once in a while, they would stop what they were doing to remark or comment to each other. A while went by, and he began to wonder when Sasuke would be coming back.<p>

"Did he really have that many errands to do?" Naruto asked.

"I believe he needed to go to the courthouse again," Itachi's fingers clicked across the keyboard, "I think he also had a few business matters to attend to, as well."

"You'd think he'd wanna spend as much of today as possible with you." He returned to reading, picking up where he'd placed a finger.

"Sasuke's doing all the things I can't do myself. I want to make sure he's taken care of in case anything happens. A lot of what was left to us by our parents is in my name. That will all have to be switched over to Sasuke."

"Who knew stuff like this could be so complicated?"

"No kidding." Itachi turned around. "Television shows and the movies never show this part of it."

Naruto chuckled. "I'm glad you still have a sense of humor about all of this. I'd be cryin' in a corner somewhere."

"Somehow I doubt that." Itachi got up from the chair and stretched. He'd put on a pair of reading glasses and tied his hair up.

"Glasses look good on you," Naruto remarked. "Sasuke wears a pair some of the time, but I've recently banned him from wearin' them."

"Is that so?" Itachi asked, taking a seat on the bed next to him. "Any particular reason?"

"Bad dream I had. He was wearin' glasses in it, and he was actin' like a jerk."

"Ah, I see."

Naruto set the book aside. "Sasuke. When he was in high school... did he... y'know. Have lots of friends?"

"Hm. A lot? I don't think so. He had friends and was very popular, but I'm not sure how close he was to anyone in particular. Why?"

"Just curious," he said. "I'm always curious about what he was like at that time. I guess 'cause high school was kinda hard for me at times, I think about what it would've been like had we met then and not now. Is that strange?"

"I don't think it's _strange_ to be curious about a person you care a lot about. I can tell you that he was a bigger smartass than he is now." Itachi smirked. "I can also tell you that he was very considerate of his family, especially our parents. If you two had met back then, I'm confident you would've hit it off the same. Maybe not romantically, but at least as friends. My brother was always very _adamant_ about not coming out until college. He didn't want to disappoint father. As I told you before, I really think our mother was aware, but she never said anything. Maybe if she had, it might've made certain things easier on Sasuke. But, things happen for a reason, I suppose."

"That's what I like to believe," replied Naruto. "I hope he wasn't too lonely."

"Me, too."

They shared a look that was interrupted when they both heard the front door open and close. Not much longer and Sasuke appeared at the doorway, stopping when he saw the two of them. He glanced at Naruto first, and then his brother.

"Everything's taken care of," he told Itachi before his gaze traveled to Naruto again.

"Hi," Naruto said to him.

"Hello," replied Sasuke.

"Thank you for the blanket."

"You're welcome. You were buried under all those pillows, so I figured you might be cold. It gets drafty down there sometimes."

They stared at each other for a while, either waiting for a break in the tension. He already knew he wanted to get up and go to him, but it's not like the problem between them had gone away.

"Why are you lingering in the doorway?" Itachi asked. "Why don't you come in?"

"I don't want to interrupt anything," said Sasuke. "The two of you look comfortable."

Naruto bit his lip as Sasuke continued to stare.

"Very well," said Itachi as he shuffled closer to Naruto, even putting an arm around his shoulders. "Naruto and I will continue to bond on my last day of freedom since my only brother doesn't want to spend my _last_ remaining hours together."

"That's not really all that funny, Itachi," replied Sasuke.

"No?" Itachi turned to him questioningly.

"Not so much," confirmed Naruto, shaking his head.

"You were laughing with me earlier." Itachi sighed. "Fine, let's all be somber and miserable then."

"You should be preparing for the trial," said Sasuke. "Not molesting my boyfriend."

"I believe your definition and my definition of molestation are quite different." Itachi smirked at his brother.

"Leave me out of it," said Naruto. "I don't wanna be put in the middle of this."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. "Oh, no? I believe you've told me differently."

Naruto glared at him. "Don't go sayin' weird stuff to your brother and givin' him the wrong idea."

"Yes, Sasuke. I believe Naruto stated just yesterday that he had no sexual interest in me."

Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. "You two are awfully annoying today."

"And yet you're standing there, looking like you're waiting for us to beg you to come in and play," said Itachi. "Naruto, you don't mind if he joins us, do you?"

Naruto glanced at Itachi first and then Sasuke, who looked right back at him. "No. I don't mind."

Itachi beckoned him, too. "Come on. We'll have a group cuddle."

Sasuke approached the bed. There was more room on Naruto's side, so he slid in next to him. Sasuke gave him a cautious, hesitant look.

"Hi," Naruto said in a quiet voice, searching every part of his face. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Not really. But when I did fall asleep, I had a dream about you."

"Yeah?"

Sasuke nodded. "Maybe when you're done coming onto my brother, we can talk."

Naruto began to smile crookedly. "Yeah?"

"You're not going to deny the first part of what I said?"

"Well, the first part wasn't as important as the last part, but I think it's pretty clear that I am not hittin' on your brother. Just 'cause I'm within two feet of someone doesn't always mean I'm hittin' on them or they're hittin' on me."

"Yes, Sasuke," said Itachi. "Have a little more faith in your boyfriend, and also if you do anything to upset him, I will personally punish you just like I used to when we were younger."

"Huh?" Naruto glanced at him. "What did you used to do?"

"Nothing," Sasuke grumbled. "He used to show off how much better at martial arts he was than me."

"Ah, really? Can I have a demonstration?" Naruto asked excitedly.

Itachi smiled. "I'm much too old for that."

"Hardly," said Naruto. "I have this feelin' you could take on the both of us at once if you really wanted to."

"Probably. But I don't like to brag."

Sasuke snorted but didn't say anything.

"Ah, see, I like this." Itachi sighed, removing his arm from Naruto's shoulders. "Seeing the two of you makes me rather happy."

"What do you wanna do today, do y'think?" He asked. "We should make sure and do anything and everything y'want. Right, Sasuke?"

"If you say so," Sasuke replied without enthusiasm.

"Just like the old days," Itachi murmured. "When I used to make you my slave."

"I don't wanna know about the perverted things you used to do as kids," Naruto commented with a large grin.

"Your mind's always in the gutter." Sasuke nudged him.

Naruto nudged him back. "You're one to talk."

Sasuke shrugged.

"First, why don't you two have a chat," said Itachi, "And then you can decide on how you're going to entertain me the rest of the day. Sound fair?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Okay?"

"Okay," agreed Sasuke.

He grabbed for Naruto's hand and pulled him out of the bed, where he led them into the living room, down the steps of the deck, and into the backyard by the little koi pond.

* * *

><p>For a while they sat by the edge of the koi pond. Naruto kept poking at the water, and the fish would come up to his finger, thinking it was food. Sasuke sat by his side, close enough that their arms touched.<p>

"About this morning," said Sasuke. "I feel like I should apologize."

"You were just bein' honest," he replied, leaning back on his hands.

"I know, but it was selfish of me to say that and put my principles in front of your feelings."

"Well, you could've been honest but also considered my feelings by offering a couple of scenarios, y'know. I've really had no idea what's been goin' on inside your head for the past couple of weeks."

Sasuke turned to look at him. "I know that. So let's talk about it then. What if my brother is found guilty and goes to jail? What do you want to do? What do you see happening to us?"

Naruto gazed down at the grass, picking at a couple of blades. "What do you think about," he glanced up again, "Me moving with you? I mean. If you think you wanna move to Seattle to be closer to him."

Honestly, Sasuke couldn't have looked more stunned unless Naruto said he'd cheated on him.

"I don't think I heard you correctly?" Sasuke squinted against the sun. "Naruto, you didn't even want to move into the apartment, but now you think you'd move half way across the country for me?"

"Hey, I just said that I'd move in with you when we were talkin' to your brother in the kitchen that time. But, yeah. I dunno why we haven't talked about it before, but... wherever you go from now on, I wanna go, too. If it comes to that. So, rather than think you have no other choice but to break up with me and stay - "

"Naruto," Sasuke said quickly as if in a panic, "I don't want that at all. I've never wanted to break up or even considered it."

"That's not the impression I got when you came to bed. You seemed to think anything could happen, including that."

"Not because I wouldn't want to be with you but because I was afraid I'd turn into an absolute asshole that you wouldn't want to be around. Also, I never would've asked you to leave your family and friends."

"Well, now you know that you can, and that I'd want to. I _want_ to be with you, Sasuke. I think about what life could be like without you in it, and I just... can't imagine livin' like that. I'd always be thinkin' about you and wishin' I was with you. I'm not afraid to bet on, y'know," Naruto scratched his cheek, "Forever. With you."

Sasuke stared at him in shock before breaking into a rueful smile. "Did you just propose to me?"

"Tch." Naruto bumped into him. "You only heard what you wanted to hear."

"I suppose it'd be terrible to say my brother's impending trial may be one of the best things that has ever happened to us?"

"I'd say that's pretty terrible, yeah." Naruto grinned at him.

"Ah, here," Sasuke reached across to pull out a piece of dandelion from his hair and tossed it absently to the wind again. "You collect bric-a-brac like a magpie."

Naruto let out a sharp laugh. "What? I've never heard that expression before."

"Really?" asked Sasuke. "My grandmother used to say it all the time... Wait."

"Huh? What is it? Why the weird face?"

His boyfriend was frowning. "I feel like this isn't the first time we've had this conversation."

"Pretty sure I would've remembered you sayin' somethin' like that. Thought it was more of the weird lingo you picked up in England."

Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe it was something from my dream this morning."

"Oh, right. The one about me?"

Sasuke also shifted to lean back on his hands, gazing up at the sky. "It was about us. I think... you'd transferred into my high school."

He chuckled and shoved into him again. "Get out. That's so gay."

"It was a little," Sasuke murmured distractedly as he ran a hand through his hair at the side. "As I recall."

Naruto gave him a curious look. "Why? Did we, y'know, do stuff in it?"

"Hm. Maybe. I don't usually remember my dreams so the details are hazy."

"I feel a bit jealous of my dream self. That he got to spend time with you when we were teenagers. Was I cool at least? Did I look hot? Did we get along right away?"

Sasuke glanced his way, squinting a bit. "You sure ask a lot of questions."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm curious! Tell me. I wanna know. _Sasuke_." He leaned his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "Please?"

"I told you I don't remember that much. You transferred. We were about 16 or 17. You were annoying at first and kept latching onto me. I realized how hot you were, invited you over to my house for the weekend and - "

"Wait. I got to meet your family?" Naruto asked, shifting again so that he sat cross-legged with his arms in his lap.

Sasuke placed a hand on his knee. "You did. Not sure you were a fan of my father, but yes. They," Sasuke inhaled deeply, "... My mother. Seemed especially fond of you."

"Fuckin' dream me bastard. Gets to do all the stuff I've always wanted!"

Sasuke raised a brow at him. "You're an idiot."

"I'm not! I just really wanna meet your parents!"

Sasuke leaned in, and Naruto almost thought he was going to be kissed, but, instead, his boyfriend flicked him in the forehead. Naruto batted his hand away, scowling.

"Jerk," he muttered. "Here I tell you I'd move to Seattle with you and you're physically abusin' me."

"Usually you like that kind of thing." Sasuke smirked.

"There's no time for that. I expect you to spend the rest of the day with your brother. Doin' anything and everything he wants to do."

"What if what he wants to do is make out with you? Am I supposed to allow that?"

"Why do you always act like there is somethin' goin' on between me and your brother? You're sick, Sasuke."

"Let's see. Because I came in and found the two of you in bed together. And it looked to me that you were very comfortable lying beside one another."

"Shut up. You're retarded. I'm goin' back inside. This grass is makin' my butt all wet." Naruto got up, swiping at his backside as he did. There was a damp spot on the pants he wore.

"Now I'm jealous of the grass," said Sasuke.

Naruto held out a hand. "Well, we can both be jealous together." He pulled Sasuke to his feet, holding onto him still. "So, if you did stuff with this dream me, does that mean you technically cheated on me with myself?"

"I'm not even going to deign to answer that." Still, Sasuke brought his hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it. "I'm sorry. I'll have more faith from now on."

"Uh, yeah. I can't really concentrate on what you're sayin' right now 'cause since you said that, I've got that George Michael song stuck in my head." He started to sing, "Bet it would be nice. If I could touch your booody. I know not everybody's got a body like meeee."

"Fucking hell, why do I bother?" Sasuke asked, shaking his head. "By the way, it's 'a body like yours', not 'me'."

"Well, you do have a nice body, but you gotta admit not everyone's got a body like mine." Naruto gave his hand a tug, smiling broadly now. "Also, it's 'cause you still don't know any better. C'mon, babe. Let's go inside. You can make up bein' an asshole to me after we get home. _After_ your brother's found innocent and it'll seem like we blew stuff way out of proportion."

"If you say so, I am going to trust in that. Do I have to wait until we're back home for a kiss then?"

Naruto bit his lip as he tilted his head to the side. "Of course not."

Sasuke leaned in part of the way, Naruto closed the gap and kissed him.

"Whatever comes up, we can work it out, Sasuke. Couples fight sometimes. It's normal. You're the one who told me that our first weekend together."

"I know. I'll try to remember." Sasuke gave him one more kiss on the cheek. "Let's go then since you promised my brother we'd be his entertainment slaves for the day."

"Mmkay. Sounds like fun." He followed Sasuke up the deck stairs, stopping when his boyfriend was about to open the door.

"You think it'll be fun to be my brother's slave? You wouldn't say that if you'd grown up with him."

"Tch. Unlike dream me who got to meet him. Fucking bastard!"

"You're ridiculous," Sasuke told him, opening the French door.

"Yeah, well. Then you shouldn't have cheated on me with me in that dream!"


	11. Comfort

As promised, he and Sasuke spent all of the afternoon with Itachi, doing everything from video games to listening to records to skyping with several of Itachi's out-of-town friends. The entire time, he could tell Sasuke was forcing himself not to seem bothered. For dinner, Naruto tried to help (but mostly got in the way) after the brothers decided to cook a traditional Japanese meal like their mother used to make. Surprisingly, he learned that Sasuke used to be a terrible cook. Not that they cooked often in Joliet, but what Sasuke had made, Naruto'd always thought was really good.

"It's funny to think that Sasuke ever could've been bad at something," Naruto remarked as he helped cut a few vegetables near the sink.

"It's true," said Itachi. "The most mother felt comfortable letting him do was boil water."

Sasuke sent him a glare while adding small cubes of tofu to the miso broth. "What did you expect? Mother always did most of the cooking when we were younger. I didn't learn to really cook until I got that apartment in college. Even more so when I moved to New York since Deidara could set fire to spaghetti."

"Heh, sounds like an Adele song. Wait, you had an apartment in college?" Naruto asked. "For some reason I always figured you lived at home and commuted."

"How would that make sense?" Sasuke asked. "You know I was out nearly every night."

"Every night?" Naruto asked. "I have a feelin' this is somethin' I don't want to imagine."

"I suppose the term you're looking for is 'ho'," Itachi commented with a straight face. "My brother was a ho, Naruto. It's something we all have to come to accept at some point in our lives. You wouldn't believe how often I would hear from friends in town about it, but I thought to myself, Sasuke's old enough to make his own decisions and considering he spent high school being celibate, it's no wonder."

Naruto started choking on a piece of raw carrot he'd been chewing on, and it certainly didn't help that Sasuke's face had completely drained of color as he wielded a wooden spoon at his brother like a weapon.

"What?" Itachi asked. "We were all thinking it. Am I right?"

"You are such an asshole," Sasuke told him. "If you weren't possibly going to jail tomorrow, I might hit you."

"Like you could even put a scratch on my forehead," Itachi replied and, in a ridiculously fast movement, poked him in the forehead.

Sasuke touched the spot. "Itachi," he growled.

Naruto started to laugh at them. "This is hilarious. Was this what it was like growin' up for you two? I'm surprised you never killed each other."

"Believe me," said Sasuke. "I considered it several times."

But, even as Naruto looked between the two, there was such obvious affection in Itachi's eyes, and though he was slightly irritated at the moment, Naruto understood how much Sasuke loved his brother. Despite a few more arguments, they eventually finished with dinner, and by the time they moved all the side dishes to the dining room table, nearly half of it was covered in rice, soup, tiny dried fish, chicken fried in breadcrumbs, and other things he couldn't pronounce or describe.

As Naruto struggled with his chopsticks, Sasuke helped him out by teaching him the proper "Japanese" way of holding them.

"We always used chopsticks at the table," said Sasuke. "Dinner always felt very formal. Not at all how it is when we have dinner at your dad's house."

"Ah, yeah. I'm sure you noticed right away that our family is anything but formal. But, when I was little, my mom was all about the family sitting down to eat at the table. She didn't like when we tried to eat in front of the TV. Lookin' back, though. Those were some of the funnest times we had together, so I'm glad she made us do that."

"Try this," Sasuke said and, picking up a piece of fish, offered it to Naruto.

Naruto ate it off the end of his boyfriend's chopsticks. "It's good. How do you say 'it's good' in Japanese again?"

"Oishii. These were some of father's favorites, by the way." Sasuke offered him another small piece, which Naruto ate with relish.

"How come you never make stuff like this for me?"

"Japanese food takes a fair amount of preparation as you saw, but if you want, I can start bringing something home from the city after I get off of work." The instant Sasuke noticed what he'd said, he frowned.

"Something wrong?" Itachi asked his brother.

"It's nothing." Sasuke shook his head.

Naruto (inconspicuously) placed a hand on Sasuke's thigh and gave a reassuring squeeze. "Maybe after all this is over, Itachi, you could pay us a visit?"

"I'd love that very much, Naruto. Except, assuming all goes well tomorrow, I'll clearly need to look for another job, so that I can pay back my wonderful brother for posting my bond all those months ago."

"No offense, but could we not talk about this?" Sasuke set his chopsticks on top of his soup bowl. "I'll be happy to discuss it tomorrow night, but anything before that, and I..." He sighed, lowering his head.

Naruto and Itachi shared a quick look.

"Sure," said Naruto. "But y'have to eat all of that stuff in front of you. I doubt your parents woulda let you get away with wastin' food."

Rather, he thought Sasuke would need it for tomorrow. He hadn't been eating or sleeping well, and he'd only had about half a bowl of rice, some soup, and a bit of the fish. Sasuke nodded and continued to pick at his food, which left Naruto and Itachi to share a conversation about the books they'd read lately and why they liked them. His boyfriend remained quiet until the end of the meal. While Itachi went to take a shower, he and Sasuke put away the leftovers and cleaned up all of the dishes.

"You okay?" Naruto asked as they stood in front of the sink.

Through the window, it was getting dark, and it had begun to sprinkle.

"Just tired, I think." Sasuke pushed his bangs out of the way. "How was dinner?"

"Very good. After this, do y'think maybe you'd like to shower together?"

Sasuke gave him a tired look.

"No funny business," Naruto grinned. "Just a shower."

"I don't have anything against funny business," said Sasuke. "I'm just... very tired."

"I know." Naruto gave him a kiss.

"Are you saying that because I look terrible? Not that my looks matter much to you anyway." It was probably meant as a joke, but there was something off about Sasuke's tone.

"Yes, Sasuke. 'Cause I would date someone with leper-like qualities."

"You probably would. You're far too nice to turn them down."

"Ah, is that how we came to date each other then? I felt so sorry for you that I decided on going on one date, and then 'cause I couldn't tell you no, here we are now? Four months later?"

"Maybe." Sasuke smirked, and Naruto affectionately bumped against him.

"Jerk," he muttered. "You should only be so lucky."

"I do feel lucky. That you've been able to stay by my side. Even through all of this."

Naruto threw the towel onto the counter and turned toward him. "Sasuke. It hasn't been _that_ bad. I'm happy to stay by your side. I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else. I promise." He cupped the other man's cheek, gazing at him fondly before moving his hand to the back of Sasuke's neck. "You really are a good lookin' bastard. I bet all the girls who went to high school really wet their panties when they saw you in the hallway."

Sasuke scrunched his nose. "That's a terrible image. I don't want to know what I did to their panties."

"Do you wanna know what you to do my panties then?" Naruto waggled his eyebrows.

"You in panties?" Sasuke slung an arm about his waist, pulling him closer. "I could be persuaded."

"Might be a tight fit," Naruto said. "Y'know. 'Cause I'm well hung and stuff."

"I've _always_ thought it was a tight fit." Sasuke kissed near the corner of his mouth.

"No funny business, remember?" Naruto closed his eyes as Sasuke kissed the other corner.

"We're only talking, Naruto," Sasuke said next to his ear, making him shiver. "Like that time you were in Champaign."

Naruto let out a snort, eyes opening to reveal his mirth. "You're never gonna let that go, are you?"

"Not so long as I can help it." Sasuke shot him a meaningful look. "Stay with me, Naruto." He touched their lips together.

Naruto sighed, running his fingers upward through Sasuke's hair. "Y'know I can't hold out when you say things like that."

Sasuke smiled. "Why do you think I do it?"

Naruto wet his lips and moved in for a kiss, pushing his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. Sasuke was pliant, but he seemed hungry for more, so Naruto kissed him for as long as he seemed to need the physical contact. Eventually, he placed a hand to Sasuke's chest in order to push their bodies apart.

"Ready for that shower now?" Naruto asked in a husky voice.

"Yes."

"Shall I take care of you?" He pressed his lips to Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke nodded, clinging to him tightly at the waist.

"Okay then." He put a hand on Sasuke's lower back and nudged him toward the doorway.

By the time they reached the hallway, Sasuke had grabbed for his hand as they made their way to the bedroom to strip and find some pajamas. They both intended to spend the rest of the night with Itachi, and, likely, Sasuke would be sleeping there again. Although, this time, Naruto would probably be joining him, too. Naruto gathered all of their clothes and stopped near the door. Sasuke was checking his phone, and as he did, Naruto let his eyes wander over his boyfriend's naked body. When they got back to Illinois - Naruto refused to think any other outcome possible from now on - he would have to force feed him McDonald's so that he'd gain more weight.

"Coming?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah." Sasuke put his phone away, walking toward him.

"Anything important?"

"A couple of messages from Suigetsu and Karin."

Naruto smiled. "I bet they wished you luck?"

"Yes. Actually."

"That was nice of 'em, right?"

"Very." Sasuke rubbed his lips together.

Naruto cocked his head. "What's up?"

Sasuke, lightly, touched his waist and then let his fingers glide to Naruto's hip.

"Sasuke?" He asked, but the other man only shook his head. "Come on. A shower will make you feel better. I'll even give you one of my famous Uzumaki massages."

Sasuke's fingers slipped up to his waist again and, tucking them in against his palm, grazed his knuckles across Naruto's chest.

"...Thank you," he said to Naruto in an unsteady voice. "For everything. You always stand by me even when I don't understand why or don't think I deserve it."

Naruto hummed as he cupped the back of Sasuke's head, placing another firm kiss to his forehead. He reached for Sasuke's hand, squeezed it, and, quietly led him across the hallway and into the bathroom.

xxx

While they were in the shower, Naruto poured as much affection as he could into every kiss, every touch, every little compliment he gave to Sasuke. Though Sasuke was rather prideful and stubborn at times, though he may (from time to time) push Naruto away, at the very heart of his boyfriend was a man who cared deeply about the people he loved. It was no wonder that someone as sensitive as that also desired affection. For Naruto, it was so easy to give, too. Always affectionate in relationships, he really did enjoy making his partner feel good. Plus, with Sasuke, it came naturally. He loved him. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for him.

Naruto held Sasuke in his arms as he washed the front of his body - from his shoulders to his chest to his stomach and lower - running the warm wash rag over his skin. When Sasuke sighed and let his head fall back to rest on Naruto's shoulder, he took the opportunity to kiss along the side of the other man's neck. Dropping kisses where he could, Naruto rubbed the rag over Sasuke's thigh and then, wrapping it around his boyfriend's cock, gave him a few friendly strokes.

Turning his head on Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke caught his lips in a kiss as Naruto continued to lightly pump him.

"Were you always such a good kisser?" Naruto asked when they parted.

He threw the rag aside and grabbed the bottle of shampoo. Sasuke shifted in his arms, pushing him against the wall. Amused, Naruto watched him, a lazy smirk playing at his own lips.

"When this is over," Sasuke said, "There's no end to the things I want to do to you." He moved closer, pressing their bodies together. This time, Sasuke controlled the kiss and made him melt completely. Naruto placed a hand on his boyfriend's ass, giving it a squeeze.

"You know I'm always happy to be at your mercy," he replied in a low voice, still eyeing Sasuke's mouth after he stepped away.

Sasuke brushed his hair to the side and behind an ear. "You realize I know exactly how you mean that."

"I know you do." Naruto flattened his hand to Sasuke's chest, dropping his gaze briefly and then raising it again. "You know me better than anyone, after all."

"Isn't that too much power for one person to have?"

"Hm. It's a power I want to give you." Naruto took hold of his wrist and dragged him over again, allowing for Sasuke's leg to slide between his thighs.

Sasuke shifted forward so that Naruto's back hit the wall. He placed his hands on either side of Naruto's head.

"No funny business," Naruto said to him, the corner of his mouth twitching into a grin. "Or are we still just talking?"

"It amuses me you can be so smug in this position." He rubbed his thigh against Naruto, making him bite his lip. "This is how you provoke me, isn't it?" He sighed and moved his face in closer to Naruto's. "You're such a flirt, Naruto. Have you always been this way?"

"As if I've ever had to seduce someone in my life, Sasuke. You should know that."

Sasuke cupped his cheek. "Why seduce me when you know I'd give you anything you asked for?"

"Maybe I don't wanna ask."

"Want me to take it?" Tilting his head, Sasuke leaned in to kiss him, but paused just before their lips could touch. "Say my name?"

"Sasuke," he breathed, and it was pathetic knowing he'd just about instantly gone hard from saying his boyfriend's name.

"Hm." Sasuke rubbed against him again with his thigh. "Why me?"

"I don't want anyone else," he answered.

Sasuke ran his hand over Naruto's chest and stomach. He glanced down, at Naruto's cock, which was pressed between their bodies. Naruto was holding his breath. Before he could stop him (not that he really wanted to), Sasuke dropped to his knees. Lovingly, he was caressed and kissed - a tongue sliding along his length, and then that warm, wet heat that was his boyfriend's mouth. More caught up in his feelings for Sasuke than his lust, he felt something tight wrapping around his heart. Something that made him feel like he was being transported outside of his body. As one, single finger slid inside him, he came.

Sasuke rose to his feet, dropping kisses to his neck, jaw, and cheek, until they spent the next few minutes tasting himself on Sasuke's tongue.

Still feeling dazed, Naruto leaned against the wall for support. He held out his hand, waiting for Sasuke to take it, and Naruto stared in wonder at their clasped fingers.

"You alright there?" Sasuke asked, smirking.

Naruto didn't even think he had the strength or will to respond, so he didn't. He kept looking at their fingers. Sasuke embraced him, and, as he did, he buried his face in Naruto's neck. He mouthed something against his skin. Naruto wanted to ask, but all he could do was place a hand on Sasuke's back.

A little while later, they finished washing, and when they got out of the shower, they took turns drying each other. Naruto sat on top of the toilet lid as he watched Sasuke brush his teeth. The scene felt melancholic, yet Naruto's heart felt completely full. Of love and of longing, and a little of anxiousness. But, when Sasuke looked at him in the mirror and smiled, that little bit of fear dissolved completely.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked. "I'm sure my brother is wondering what we're up to."

"I'm sure he knows exactly what we're up to."

Sasuke took Naruto's hand in his and pulled him up. Neither of them moved right away. Maybe they both were feeling like anything that happened after this moment could change them, could change everything... and right now, they could keep whatever may happen tomorrow at bay.

But, Naruto had hope.

"It'll be good," he said. "It'll work out."

Sasuke nodded. "Okay."

"Let's go."

Pulling him along behind, Sasuke led the way down the hallway and to his brother's bedroom, where they would keep Itachi company until the very moment the police would have to come pick him up tomorrow morning and escort him to the courthouse.

* * *

><p>After a night of guy talk and little mention of the trial, the three of them crowded into Itachi's bed - Itachi on the left, Sasuke in the middle, Naruto on the right. They fell asleep shortly before 11 p.m.<p>

To be honest, Naruto understood next to nothing about how trials worked. He only knew what he'd seen from random episodes of Law & Order, really. He was aware Itachi had already gone to court last fall, which is when he was asked to remain in the home until the final trial, where a verdict would be handed down by a jury. From what he'd gathered so far, he also knew Itachi had refused to take the stand. The charges consisted of embezzlement and fraud. Naruto believed, but wasn't entirely sure of, the CEO's exact involvement in these crimes, but thanks to someone else within the company, any type of communication that linked Itachi's boss to these crimes had been erased - e-mails, phone calls, computer data. Because Itachi was the only one who'd been charged - and he refused to speak on his own behalf - there weren't any other employees able or willing to finger the actual culprit.

The company Itachi worked for had hired its own lawyers, completely turning their back on him. Even his boss, who knew exactly what Itachi was doing, had no intention of turning himself in (obviously, who would when facing up to 30 years in prison?). The doubt surrounding Itachi's involvement had somehow kept the company from collapsing, although stock value had plummeted significantly at the time of the first hearing last November. Even though they'd all talked as if the verdict would come out tomorrow, there was the chance it could drag on for several days.

It seemed odd to Naruto, though, that there could possibly be enough evidence to convict Itachi of a crime he didn't commit. Then again, if O.J. could get off, maybe an innocent man could go to jail just as easily when being targeted by a team of high-powered prosecuting attorneys.

Before they'd all fallen asleep, it was decided that Sasuke would go with Itachi to the courthouse since he needed to be there two hours prior to the actual trial, which would take place at 10 a.m. Naruto had left it up to Sasuke whether he wanted him to come to the trial. At first, Sasuke had been against it since there would be a fair amount of local media present, and he didn't want Naruto to get involved in any of that. But, eventually they'd decided that Naruto could (indiscreetly) show up prior to the trial's start, which is what he planned on doing (assuming that when he tried to drive to downtown Seattle, he didn't actually end up in Canada somewhere).

So, when the alarm went off at about 6 a.m., Naruto awoke as the brothers proceeded to get ready. He shuffled out of bed and back into Sasuke's bedroom so as not to be in the way. Quietly, he sat on the foot of the bed while watching Sasuke put on his suit. As he fumbled with the tie, Naruto got up to help him, eyeing the knot with a serious expression on his face.

"Ready for this?" Naruto asked, smoothing out the tie after he finished adjusting it.

Sasuke took Naruto's hand in his, clasping it tightly. He searched Naruto's eyes before drawing him into an embrace. Trying to contain his own emotions, Naruto rubbed his boyfriend's back comfortingly.

"It'll be okay, Sasuke. There's no way your parents will let anything bad happen to Itachi."

Still, Sasuke silently remained in his arms another minute until he straightened up and lightly grazed his lips across Naruto's cheek.

"I'll see you in a little while?" He asked.

Naruto nodded. "I'll be there. In the back somewhere, but I'll be there."

"There should be a break at some point. I'll catch up with you then."

"Okay." Naruto held onto Sasuke's upper arms and, slowly, brought his hands down until he reached the man's wrists. "Alright then. Don't wanna be late."

"The escort's coming to pick _us_ up," Sasuke reminded him.

"I know, but still. Probably bad form to make 'em wait, yeah?"

"Check on my brother?" Sasuke asked. "I have something upstairs I need to get."

Naruto raised an eyebrow but didn't argue; Sasuke slipped out of his arms, and Naruto watched him go. He stood a moment, trying to understand this gaping hole taking shape in his chest. Would this really end okay for them? Even if it didn't, at least he knew there was the possibility they could stay together if he moved to Seattle. Assuming Sasuke would still want that once the verdict came out.

Well. No sense in drowning in the 'what ifs', so, like he'd been asked, he went to check on Itachi. The older man was standing near the foot of his bed, scrutinizing the screen of his phone. When he noticed Naruto in the doorway, he glanced up and smiled.

"Why so serious?" Itachi asked.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Usually that would crack me up... but I don't feel so much like laughin'."

"That's too bad. I rather hoped you would send me off with a smile."

"Sorry. I knew I shoulda Google'd some knock-knock jokes last night when you and Sasuke were busy arguin' about who's gonna bite it in next month's Walking Dead finale."

"Yes, well. Sasuke seems to think the show will follow the graphic novels, but I believe the writers have something else up their sleeves."

Naruto shrugged. "Hopefully you won't be able to relate to spendin' all that time in a prison after today."

Thankfully, Itachi chuckled. "Indeed."

"You'll probably become some kinda prophet in there anyway. You'll be the guy everyone goes to. Ah, like Morgan Freeman's character in Shawshank."

"Have you given up on me being acquitted?" Itachi asked, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Nah. Just felt bad I didn't have any good jokes. Thought maybe we could at least make light of it? Not in front of Sasuke, though. He seems like he's on pins and needles right now."

"Speaking of my brother. Where might he be?" Itachi checked his watch.

"He went upstairs," Naruto answered, rubbing under the bridge of his nose.

Itachi looked up for a brief few seconds before glancing at Naruto again. "I see."

Naruto raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"It's nothing." Itachi shook his head. "We should be going soon. I'll go get him, and we can say our goodbyes in the kitchen. I wouldn't want you to see me handcuffed as they drag me away."

"I'm sure you'd look good even bein' dragged away in cuffs."

"Really." Itachi leaned in while smirking. "Don't say that around my brother. He might get jealous."

Naruto grinned. "Don't worry. I already know what _he_ looks like in handcuffs."

Itachi laughed, and Naruto smiled broadly at him.

"Meet us in the kitchen in a few minutes?" Itachi asked. "I'll get Sasuke. That is, if he's done conversing with the higher power he often confesses he doesn't believe in."

Naruto's lips parted in surprise, and he could suddenly picture very well what Sasuke was doing up there. Luckily, Itachi was already out of the room before he made a swipe at the first couple of tears.

* * *

><p>Left to his own devices, Naruto ate cereal for breakfast and, afterward, got dressed. He hadn't packed a suit, so he put on some slacks and a nice button-down shirt. It seemed a good idea to leave early in case he got lost. Sasuke had left the keys to the rental car on the kitchen counter, but as Naruto picked them up, he felt reluctant to go for some reason. Taking in a deep breath and giving one last glance around the house, he went outside after locking the front door. The day was dreary looking. He got in the car and set the GPS to the King County Courthouse.<p>

The drive into Seattle wasn't bad; in fact, it was a lot easier to navigate than Chicago, with all its crazy one-way streets and constant construction. However, parking was another issue. He must've driven around the block about five times before a space opened and he was able to parallel park. There were a couple of media vehicles in front of the courthouse, so he had to sneak around them. Not that he expected anyone to know who he was. The courthouse was a lot bigger than he expected, and the exterior resembled more of a hotel than a government building.

When he walked into the nearest entrance, he had to go through security and be patted down by a grumpy-looking gentleman who appeared to be in his early 60s. There was a main hall, but he didn't have time to look around at all the cool architecture. It was bright and packed with people. Naruto checked his watch, nearly bumping into a young woman in a blue skirt as he did so. He excused himself and offered an apologetic smile.

It appeared as though he was running late despite his best intentions. There were only 10 minutes left to the start of the trial, and though Sasuke had given him directions, he couldn't quite figure out where he was supposed to go. The place was huge! Finally, he stopped to ask another member of security, who informed him that he needed to go to the 10th floor, take two lefts, two rights, and another left, and that should put him at the correct courtroom. Just as he seemed to have found the place, he was stopped by two more armed security guards who asked him what he was doing here. When Naruto explained that he was a friend of the defendant and the defendant's brother, the shorter of the two guards disappeared inside. When he came out again, he told Naruto that the room was full to capacity, so he'd have to wait for the recess before he could go in. Despite trying to plead with them, they kept telling him there was nothing they could do and one of them mumbled something about the media drawing a bunch of gawkers to the trial.

He could've texted Sasuke, but he doubted that his boyfriend had his phone on, and there probably wasn't anything he could do anyway. In any other instance, he would've argued with the guards, but he was afraid of causing trouble since he'd already mentioned he was here for Itachi. Feeling like an idiot, Naruto took a seat on one of the benches. He wasn't the only one turned away apparently, since there were at least a dozen other people loitering around, waiting to get a glimpse at what was happening. Only a few minutes later, and Naruto could hear a loud voice talking on the other side of the heavy wooden doors. It made him nervous, and he started to worry for Sasuke. Not that he would've been able to sit by him, but it would've been nice to be close to him. At least in the same room.

Twenty minutes dragged on and then an hour, with not a single person ever leaving. The wireless reception was shitty, too, so he couldn't even get on the web to check for any news updates. When the trial reached the two-hour mark, there was an eruption of noise that came from the room, and then a trickle of people began filing out. Apparently, they were taking a brief recess. While everyone was exiting, Naruto made his way inside.

The courtroom wasn't as big as he'd expected. Unfortunately, the first rows remained completely filled. He spotted Sasuke in the row directly behind where Itachi was sitting. Sasuke was leaning forward, speaking to their lawyer. On the prosecutor's side was a table with four crisply-dressed men ranging in age from their early 30s to late 60s. The oldest of them seemed especially stoic and unlikable. He sat silently, his arms crossed to his chest, and Naruto thought it very likely that may be Itachi's boss.

There wasn't any room to sit in Sasuke's row, but he went up there anyway. He managed to get his attention, and Sasuke got up to greet him.

"Sorry, they wouldn't let me in," Naruto told him. "How's it goin' so far?"

"They've already gone through their first three witnesses, but none of their testimony could directly link Itachi to anything without sounding only circumstantial."

"That's good, right?" He whispered.

Several people around them kept looking in their direction.

Sasuke's smile was small, but encouraging. "It's good."

Naruto smiled back at him. "Hey, is that guy at the end Itachi's boss?"

Sasuke shushed him, glancing around. "His name is Danzou Shimura. Yes, he's the CEO of the company."

"Figures. Looks like a total creep. I can't believe he can show his face inside here. Knowin' that your brother had nothing to do with any of this."

"I think that's exactly why he's here," Sasuke whispered. "To make sure my brother keeps his mouth shut."

"Itachi still won't take the stand?" Naruto asked.

"No."

"How's Itachi doin'?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at his brother. "You know Itachi. Nothing fazes him."

"He's probably only puttin' on a brave face."

His boyfriend appeared distracted as he shrugged. "I should go sit down. Find a seat in the back, and don't cause any trouble."

"Tch. You don't have to tell me that."

But, without having even heard him, Sasuke was already returning to his seat. Then the bailiff announced that court was to re-convene, so Naruto moved quickly to find a place to sit before the courtroom filled up again.


	12. Verdict

As the trial moved along, two witnesses for the defense took the stand. Itachi's lawyer - a serious older man with stark-white hair and gruff voice - reminded Naruto of an elementary school principal. He kept his tone neutral when questioning all of the witnesses. The two witnesses, a man and woman who had been colleagues of Itachi's but were since let go by the company, spoke of Itachi's character and reputation. As a supervisor, Itachi worked as hard as the people under him, putting in late hours and treating everyone fairly. However, when the lawyer asked the two workers about Danzou's reputation as a CEO, they seemed to clam up and, in Naruto's opinion, became increasingly anxious.

When the man, a black gentleman in his early 30s, was questioned, the Uchiha's lawyer asked of him, "You were let go by Mr. Shimura's company this past November, is that correct?"

The gentleman shifted uneasily. "Yes, that's correct," he said into the microphone.

The lawyer grasped his goatee while approaching the witness' stand. "If you were let go in November, why is it uncomfortable to speak about your time at the company? Is it true you filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the company in December?"

"We were able to settle the matter out of court," the man replied while making sure to avoid looking at his former boss, Danzou.

"You worked under Mr. Itachi Uchiha for two years?"

"Yes."

"You believed your termination was a direct result of the files charged against Mr. Uchiha?"

"Objection, your honor." One of the younger prosecuting attorneys stood. "He's leading the witness."

"Your honor, I am trying to show the jury that the executives at the company, once Mr. Uchiha was charged, moved quickly to silence, and even pay off any employees who would have spoken up on this man's behalf." The older lawyer gestured to where Itachi sat calmly, with his hands folded on top of the table.

"Overruled," said the judge, "The defendant may continue with his line of questioning."

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. The witnesses painted a picture of Itachi as a kind, competent, hard-working, and intelligent man that was on a fast-track toward success. He would have no reason at this juncture to sabotage what would have ended up being an outstanding career. But when it was the prosecutor's turn to pose questions, they tried to turn Itachi's tendency to work late hours into opportunities that enabled him to embezzle money from the company. Also, his intelligence made it seem "reasonable" that he could've easily covered any traces of the crime. Not to mention his unwillingness to take the stand was only further proof of his guilt.

By the time the prosecutor was finished questioning the defense's witnesses, Naruto began to feel a little nervous again. In his opinion, there really hadn't been any damning evidence brought up against Itachi; then again, there would be two more witnesses left: Sasuke and the surprise witness they had learned about in the past few days. Both Sasuke and Itachi seemed to know who it was, but they hadn't discussed it with him, nor did he have any clue of his relationship to Itachi or the company.

Another few tense minutes passed before the judge called for another recess. As soon as Sasuke stood, Naruto got up, too, but before he could get a word out, Sasuke asked if he wouldn't mind fetching him some water. Smiling briefly in Itachi's direction when the older man looked up, Naruto nodded and made his way out of the courtroom in order to find the closest vending machine. He asked one of the policemen standing near the door, and they pointed him down the hallway (next to the restrooms). Since he was already going that way, he decided to use the facilities. There were a few men already standing at the urinals, so Naruto took the last one available and ended up standing next to a man maybe five years his elder with glasses and silver hair pulled back into a ponytail. Naruto didn't pay him much attention other than, when the other man glanced his way, he offered a smirk that didn't quite sit well with him. Naruto almost wondered if they'd met each other before because he looked at him as if they should know each other.

"You're a friend of Sasuke's," the man stated.

Naruto's hands stopped at his zipper as he looked over in surprise. "Pardon?"

"Maybe I should quantify that more specifically," the man replied, adjusting his glasses with his left hand, "Perhaps you're a more intimate acquaintance than friend?"

"Excuse me?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you?"

"Very doubtful. But. I know you. Or, rather. I know of you."

"Yeah, okay."

Having it in mind that he could just hold it, Naruto turned around and headed out of the restroom to get Sasuke's water. There was something unsettling about that guy. Unfortunately, as he was pushing the button for the bottled water, the silver-haired man appeared next to him again.

"Okay, you're startin' to tick me off," Naruto told him as he picked up the plastic bottle and flipped it in the air, catching it in his other hand.

As he turned to leave _again_, he felt a hard grip at his upper arm.

"Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into by becoming involved with Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha? Don't you know that family is nothing but bad luck? Consider this a," he tilted his head, smiling vapidly, "friendly warning."

Naruto glared at the hand on his arm, shook it off, and gave the stranger a shove. "I dunno who the hell you think you are, but you better back off. If you touch me again, we're gonna have a problem here. Got it?"

The man shrugged, turned on his heel, and retreated down the hall. Confused and annoyed, Naruto glanced at the label on the water. He took another deep breath before returning to the courtroom. Except, as he approached the door, one of the officers stopped him.

"Sir, I just received a report that you physically assaulted a man who was called by the prosecutors as a witness. You mentioned earlier you're here on behalf of the defendant. Is that correct, sir?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. He was too flustered to even say anything.

"I'm going to need you to step this way with me. You won't be allowed to re-enter the courtroom at this time."

"W-what?" He asked. "That's... " He tried to glance into the room when the doors opened. "Hey, I didn't assault anyone." He couldn't help the way his voice rose in anger. "Some guy started sayin' weird shit in the bathroom, so I left. Then he approached me again at the vending machine. If anyone was gettin' harassed, it was me!"

"If that's true, then you won't mind coming with me down to the Safety & Security Office so that we can review the tape."

"Are you kidding me? I've gotta get back in there!"

The officer lifted an eyebrow and spoke in a lowered tone of voice, "We can do this quietly, or I can put the handcuffs on you. Your call."

Obviously not having a choice in the matter, Naruto followed him to the first floor, where they reviewed the tape. It showed how the other man grabbed his arm, but it also showed how Naruto pushed him off. A few other officers (honestly, didn't they have better things to do with their time?) came in to view the video. But, not seeing any reason to keep him, they finally let him go with a "warning." What the fuck? Warning? He didn't even do anything! And what was that about the guy being someone on the prosecution's side?

On the elevator ride back up, Naruto tried to put two and two together. To make matters worse, when he arrived at the courtroom, he was again told that he couldn't enter.

"For fuck's sake," Naruto said aloud, sitting heavily on one of the benches.

He must've sat there for 10 minutes before the doors opened and Sasuke came out. He glanced around before grabbing Naruto by the wrist and dragging him toward the other end of the hall where there were less people.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, sounding both concerned and angry.

"I have no idea," he said honestly. "Some weirdo guy with silver hair approached me in the bathroom, said some weird shit about knowin' I was more than a personal acquaintance of yours, and, when I left, he followed me to the vending machine."

Sasuke looked surprised. "This is very important, Naruto. What exactly did he say to you?"

"Why?" He asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke sighed. "He's the last-minute witness for the prosecution. He's part of the company in charge of researching competitors, among other things."

"So?"

"So, when he came into the courtroom, he told the prosecution that he was just harassed by someone related to the defendant."

"Sasuke," Naruto said. "That guy's a liar. He told me he knew about us and then..." He bit his lip, not wanting to repeat the rest of what had been said about Sasuke's family.

"Then what?" Sasuke searched him eagerly for an answer. "Naruto. This is important."

"He just said that..." Naruto sighed, as well. "He said that the Uchiha were bad luck and I should be more careful. He said I should consider it a 'friendly warning'."

"I see."

"Then the guy went and told the cop at the door that I'd assaulted him. They wouldn't let me go in, and they dragged me down to their damn office so that we could all watch some damn security video. They let me go when they saw the way he'd grabbed my arm. They didn't seem too keen to believe my side of events, though."

"That's no surprise as he worked at City Hall before joining my brother's company. I'm sure he has a few friends here. Or, at least a few favors he could call in."

"But why me? What would be the point in keepin' me out of the room? Why would he be researchin' me?"

"I don't know. But, wait here. I've got to tell our lawyer everything you've said, and then we can call a private council with the judge."

"...Okay. I didn't... do anything wrong, did I?"

Sasuke gave him a small smile. "No. We were well aware of his reputation going into this. He was obviously trying to provoke you."

"Y'think?" Naruto voiced sarcastically.

Sasuke grabbed hold of his tie, tugging it. "The judge has a reputation for being fair. Whatever Kabuto was trying to pull, he won't get away with it."

"Kabuto?" Naruto asked. "That's his name?"

Sasuke nodded. "You don't need to remember it. We'll take care of it."

"You seem confident."

"If they were interested in you, they must be worried about the outcome of the trial. Maybe they were desperate. Maybe they're thinking of blackmailing me or Itachi by revealing aspects of our personal lives."

"That's so twisted," Naruto said, getting angry all over again.

Sasuke smiled more fully and pat his cheek. "I'll be back in a little while. If I'm not out again, it means the trial's not going to have another recess until the jury's ready to make their decision."

"How long will that be?"

"Maybe another hour at most. I'll come get you as soon as I can."

He nodded and handed over the bottle of water. "Okay. Well... sorry for the trouble."

Sasuke took it from him, their hands touching briefly. "If anything, you may have helped more than you realize."

Naruto shot him a questioning look, but Sasuke only flashed a smirk and headed toward the courtroom again, hands in the pockets of his slacks - gait confident and self-assured. Honestly, he had no clue what was happening, who Kabuto was, or how this could possibly help Itachi's case, but one of the things Naruto trusted most in the world was Sasuke's conviction.

He did as he was told and returned to the bench, where all he could do was sit and wait.

* * *

><p>For the first half hour, Naruto simply stared off across the way at a historic painting hanging on the opposite wall. It started to look like a bunch of blurry shapes running together. He thought about calling Kiba or even Ino, but there was nothing they could really say to him to calm him down, and he wanted to be here in case Sasuke came out of the courtroom. Another 30 minutes went by and, just as Naruto was returning to the bench from the bathroom, the doors opened and a stream of people walked out.<p>

Rather than wait for Sasuke, Naruto tried to make his way through the flood of bodies. He found Itachi, Sasuke, and their lawyer in a huddle near the defendant's table. From the looks on their faces, he couldn't tell for sure if things were going well. He glanced at the jury box only to find it was empty. When Sasuke finally noticed him, he beckoned Naruto over to them.

"Naruto, this is our lawyer, Dr. Hiruzen Sarutobi. He used to work with our father, and he was one of my professors at the University of Washington."

"Hello, son," said the older man, holding out his hand. "I heard you had an encounter with Kabuto Yakushi. Odd fellow. He's worked as a mole in other companies and then reported back to Mr. Shimura about his research. According to Itachi, he was let go a couple of years ago, but apparently he was re-hired over the course of the last few months. We can only imagine that it was to investigate Itachi, including his personal life."

"But why?" Naruto asked. "Why fire him and then re-hire him? And why did he come up to me?"

"He was fired," explained Itachi, "Because it came to light that not only was he providing Danzou with false information about the competitor, he was actually sending information to the competitor about us. Basically, selling out for a higher price."

"Itachi, as well as all of the employees weren't even aware of it," Sasuke said.

"So, what happened?" Naruto asked, still feeling confused about what the hell was going on.

"Well," said Dr. Sarutobi, "When Sasuke mentioned that you'd had an encounter with him in the restroom, we called for a private council with the judge. We were able to get the video of your interaction with Kabuto, but we didn't mention it to the prosecutors until the judge made his own decision about the tape."

"Okay," said Naruto, scratching his head. "Does that mean they wouldn't let him testify against Itachi?"

"No, he testified," said Itachi. "But, after we called in another witness before Sasuke took the stand."

"Another witness?"

"Kabuto's former employer," said Sasuke. "The one who inserted him as a mole inside the company. He explained why they'd hired Kabuto and what he was capable of, including manipulation of data, blackmail, and exploitation. Apparently, he was all too happy to testify against Danzou."

"I happened to know Kabuto's employer as a young man," said Dr. Sarutobi. "He used to be a student of mine. Never particularly cared for me toward the end... but once we knew that Kabuto would be the one to testify, and because I knew that his former employer was in town... I made the call. Thanks to the video tape of you and Kabuto, the judge was willing to do that for us because it seemed suspicious he would approach you, and even threaten you. They must've been overconfident."

"It's not as if Danzou would've known that Kabuto's boss was a former protégé of Hiruzen," said Itachi.

Naruto blinked several times. "You just... got lucky?"

"You could say that," Itachi replied. "Or maybe it's Sasuke's chat with a higher power that made all of the difference."

Sasuke stuttered for a few seconds before a small arguing match broke out. In the meantime, Naruto pulled their lawyer aside.

"So, what are the chances Itachi will be found not guilty?" he asked.

"Well," the old man stroked his goatee. "I'd say there's about an 80% chance of an acquittal. Any evidence was mostly circumstantial, and, certainly, the reputation of the prosecutors' key witness muddies the testimony he gave. However, Itachi not taking the stand doesn't help the defense any. Sasuke did a good job, as well. Even though the prosecution was very tough on him. They brought up various aspects of his personal life, but he never got flustered."

"What sort of things did they ask?"

The lawyer shook his head. "I'm sure you can imagine. It was only meant to discredit him. It didn't work out to their advantage."

Naruto still didn't quite understand, but he wasn't sure he wanted to either. He'd have to ask Sasuke later, but he had a feeling his boyfriend wouldn't tell him anything. In fact, he was probably relieved Naruto had missed at least half of the trial. It was odd, though. Even if they didn't know about Kabuto until the last minute, Kabuto would've known about Dr. Sarutobi being their lawyer. After all, he was supposed to be this amazing researcher slash company double agent-mole guy. It still didn't make sense as to why he'd provoke Naruto either. If he would've kept his mouth shut, the prosecution could've taken them by surprise, and they wouldn't have had time to call in Kabuto's old boss.

It almost felt like... Kabuto was sabotaging the prosecution on purpose?

Hm. He did have a history of double-crossing everybody. Maybe he felt like screwing Danzou over one last time... and oddly convenient that his former employer was in Seattle and able to get to the courthouse so quickly.

"Hey," Sasuke said to him, sliding over. "You look like you're thinking hard."

"Don't take this the wrong way," he replied, "But... I have no fuckin' clue what's goin' on. If it means your brother's gonna get to go free, though, then... that's... really great."

Sasuke smiled. "Maybe I'll explain it to you tonight. It's looking very good."

Though uncertain, Naruto nodded. "Will the jury take very long to decide?"

Sasuke checked his watch. "It's hard to say, but, no, I'm thinking they may come to a decision fairly soon."

"Alright."

"Just don't leave the room again. You may get kicked out of here for good this time. Didn't I tell you to stay out of trouble?"

"Tch." Naruto nudged him. "I didn't realize I'd be dragged into the huge Uchiha conspiracy goin' on in this city."

"Hn, well. I told you my brother has quite the reputation in Seattle. My father did, as well."

"Why do you think he said that thing about Uchiha bein' bad luck, though? I don't get it."

"I don't know," Sasuke answered earnestly. "Maybe given the circumstances of my parents' death. Perhaps, if he researched you, he would've known exactly what to say in order to upset you."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess."

Their unsettling conversation was interrupted by the bailiff returning to the front of the courtroom from the side entrance.

"That was quick," Dr. Sarutobi remarked before he and Itachi returned to their table.

Naruto took a seat next to Sasuke. The jury began to file into the room - faces blank as they took their seats. The last one in line remained standing and held a yellow piece of paper in his hand.

The chatter around them died as the judge asked, "Has the jury reached its verdict?"

"We have your honor," said the man.

Naruto sucked in a quiet breath; Sasuke reached for his hand. After stating all of the charges, the man finally announced:

"The jury finds Itachi Uchiha..."

Naruto glanced at Itachi, his heart beating fast.

"... Not guilty."

Everything that happened afterward was a blur, including Sasuke practically hurdling over the barrier to get to his brother.

Naruto looked up at the ceiling, so grateful as the tears streamed down his face.

"Thank you," he whispered.

* * *

><p>Naruto lingered on the first floor of the courthouse for a while as Sasuke, Itachi, and Dr. Sarutobi wrapped up some of the legal business. Later on, he spotted Danzou and his entourage. That old, creepy dude was having a serious discussion with Kabuto. On their way past Naruto, it was Kabuto that turned to him and smirked again as the light caught in the lenses of his glasses. He wasn't sure why, but Naruto got the distinct impression that the outcome of the trial hadn't exactly left Kabuto all that upset.<p>

There might've been more going on here than he realized, but once Itachi (now free of his tracking bracelet) and Sasuke came up to him, he stopped caring since all that mattered was Itachi hadn't been found guilty and would not be going to jail.

"How does it feel to be a free man?" Naruto asked with a big smile.

Itachi stepped over and put an arm around his shoulders. "I have to admit. It feels pretty damn good."

"So, what are we gonna do to celebrate?" Naruto reached for the sleeve of Sasuke's jacket and tugged him over.

"Actually," said Sasuke. "There's somewhere we need to go first."

"Oh?"

Sasuke gave him an odd look that told Naruto he shouldn't ask any more questions about it.

"Do you have the keys?" Sasuke asked.

"Sure." Naruto pulled them out of his pocket and handed them over.

"I'm feeling highly suspicious, Sasuke. Is there something I should know about?"

"I figured we'd get something to eat while we're here. You know Naruto, he can't go more than two hours without eating something."

"Hey!" Naruto scowled. "Is that your way of callin' me fat?"

"Hn." Sasuke pushed him forward. "Just start walking and keep to your hands to yourself. I wouldn't want you to get arrested this time."

"Asshole," he said. "What was up with that guy anyway?"

"Long story," Itachi replied. "I would suggest not worrying about it."

They approached the elevators, and Naruto pressed the button repeatedly.

"You sayin' that only makes me more curious."

Sasuke cuffed him on the back of the head. "You're not grateful my brother is free?"

"Huh? I'm extremely grateful! I thought I was gonna throw up when the jury came back in."

"It's unfortunate that you missed Sasuke being on the stand," Itachi said as they stepped into the elevator. "I think you would've been very proud of the way he held his ground."

"What kinda stuff did they ask?" Naruto looked at his boyfriend curiously.

Sasuke shrugged. "Best not to worry about that either. It was fine. I've heard worse."

"Is this like that time - ?" Naruto immediately clapped a hand over his mouth because he was about to blurt out about the time those guys had jumped Sasuke in the alley. He didn't like the idea of anyone saying mean things to Sasuke.

"That time?" Itachi repeated.

"Nothin." He shook his head. "Nevermind."

When the elevator opened, Itachi and Sasuke took a back way out of the building so as to avoid the press. Naruto went to get the car so that he could meet them there. As he walked around the front of the courthouse, he was surprised at the amount of reporters gathered on the steps. They were interviewing the oldest of the prosecuting attorneys, but Danzou was nowhere in sight. Quickly, he made his way to the car and drove to the back of the building. Itachi got into the backseat, and he and Sasuke switched places.

Naruto turned around after buckling his belt. "Really, though. What's the first thing you're gonna do after this?"

"I suppose that depends on my brother," Itachi answered. "I assume he'll be buying us dinner, and I'll have a drink or two or three."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, sounds good. When are y'gonna call everyone and let them know?"

"It's probably all over the TV by now," Sasuke said.

"True."

"I wouldn't mind seeing some of them soon," said Itachi. "I've almost forgotten what it's like to be able to go out for 'fun'."

"Fun?" Sasuke glanced at his brother in the rearview mirror. "You need to find a job so that you can start paying me back all that money you owe me."

"Is that all my freedom means to you?" Itachi asked, feigning hurt.

"Don't worry," Naruto told him. "I won't let him starve."

"I'm not living on chicken McNuggets if that's what you're thinking," Sasuke said.

"Actually, those sound really good right now," Itachi commented.

"I know, right?" Naruto grinned. "Sasuke's so high-maintenance."

Since they were at a stoplight, apparently Sasuke considered it safe to hit him in the back of the head again.

"I don't want to hear that from you."

"I'm not high-maintenance." Naruto pouted.

"Pizza sound okay?" Sasuke questioned his brother, ignoring Naruto.

"Sounds fine to me," said Itachi. "Naruto?"

"Sure. If it's not too high-maintenance of me to say so."

"Brat," said Sasuke.

"Jerk," Naruto muttered.

"Play nice," Itachi scolded the both of them. "After all, this means you won't have to worry about moving to Seattle."

Ah, right. In the excitement of it all, he'd forgotten about that for the last half hour. Sasuke didn't say anything, so Naruto forced out a chuckle.

"Yeah. Guess so."

He started watching out the window at the passing scenery. It was almost 5.30, and the sky remained drab and gray. He was relieved, but he also felt kind of tired. Sasuke was probably feeling it, too. He looked exhausted and, frankly, really pale. Naruto wanted to get him alone and just talk, maybe hold him. Not that Sasuke seemed in the mood for that, but maybe when they went back to the house.

After a while of too much quiet, he had to ask, "So where are we gonna eat pizza?"

"A place called Primo," Sasuke answered. "We used to go there a lot as kids."

"It was one of Sasuke's favorites," added Itachi. "Sometimes, after high school, I would pick him up from his grade school, and we'd get a pizza before driving home."

Naruto liked the idea of visiting somewhere Sasuke had visited often with his family. "Cool."

Maybe another five minutes later, they parked across the street from a smaller building with a long white awning that extended out from the front and read: Primo - pizza, cocktails, beer.

Sasuke was quick to get out of the car, and before leaving he and Itachi behind said, "Stay here, I'll go see what the wait time is."

Naruto was about to say he'd just go with him, but Sasuke had already slammed the door shut.

"Okay then," said Naruto.

Itachi chuckled. "I'm trying not to let on that I'm aware what's going on."

"Why? What's going on?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Isn't it obvious?" Itachi asked.

"I don't think so?"

"My little brother has obviously organized a surprise party. I don't exactly enjoy surprises, but as I am already aware of it, I suppose I can bear it under these circumstances."

"Wow, when did he have time to do that?" Naruto murmured.

"My brother has many talents."

It wasn't long before Sasuke returned. Naruto almost felt bad that Itachi already knew what was happening. To be honest, he hadn't had any idea, but it would be interesting to meet more of Itachi's friends.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah. Comin'."

On the way into the restaurant, Itachi walked ahead of them, and, once they were beside each other, Sasuke grabbed for his hand. Naruto squeezed it. He wanted to say a lot of things just then, but it could wait. As they entered the restaurant and headed to one of the back rooms, it all felt a bit surreal to see the group awaiting them. There was laughter, tears, and a lot of balloons. Whether or not Itachi had known all along, the older man appeared extremely touched to say the least. It was only seconds before he was enveloped by a group of people - a lot covered in tattoos or with piercings or dyed hair.

Standing near the doorway, Naruto simply absorbed it all. Sasuke got sucked into the mob, too, and the endless amount of noogies that followed made it more than difficult not to laugh.

Good to know, though, that both Itachi and Sasuke had people like this in their lives all along.

* * *

><p>Despite the genuinely joyous atmosphere, after a while, Naruto almost began to nod off while sitting at one of the other tables, listening to some of Itachi's friends go on about the old days. Everyone he met so far was incredibly nice, and talented, too. A lot of them apparently played in bands back in the day. He kept hearing snippets about Sasuke playing guitar or bass in his own band in high school. Naruto wanted to ask, but, really, after another glass of wine, he was ready to curl up in a corner somewhere and pass out. Before he could do just that, however, Sasuke appeared and put a hand on his shoulder.<p>

"You ready to go?" He asked.

"No, I'm fine." Naruto smiled up at him. "I want you to hang out with everyone."

"Are you kidding? I can only take so much of them."

"Ha, yeah right. You looked like you were havin' a good time."

"I'm tired, too," Sasuke said softly, placing his hand on top of Naruto's head and staring down at him fondly. "I'll take you home, give you a bath, and put you to bed."

An inappropriate remark was on the tip of his tongue, but, instead, he shook his head. "Mmkay. I'm ready when you are. How's Itachi gonna get home?"

"Don't worry about that. Everyone's going out. I'm sure he'll crash at Jiroubou's place."

Naruto glanced that way. Everybody seemed to be having a great time. Itachi looked really happy to be surrounded by his friends.

"If you're really sure," Naruto said uncertainly. "I can always find my way back if you wanna go out with them."

"Naruto," Sasuke replied in a firm voice. "I want to go home. With you."

"Okay. Lemme say bye to Itachi first."

"You'll see him tomorrow, don't worry."

Naruto frowned. "Why are you in such a hurry anyway?"

"Because for the past 10 minutes you've looked like you're about to fall asleep on the table."

"Fine, fine. Gimme two seconds to say bye, and I'll be right out."

"Alright. It's getting cold, so I'll go start the car."

"Sure." Naruto made his way to Itachi's table to let him know that they were leaving. They hugged, which led to a line of hugs involving all the interesting people he'd met tonight and hoped to meet again one day.

When he got into the car, he took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto glanced over. "I feel like I should be askin' you that."

"I'm great. Obviously. I don't have to worry about my only remaining family going to jail."

He nearly winced. "True."

"That came out wrong, didn't it?"

Naruto shook his head. "S'okay. It's true, right?"

"Naruto," Sasuke started to say.

"Mm?"

"I don't even know where to begin."

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke gripped the steering wheel. "It's just that... for this past week. No, past month even. I've been so..."

"Don't," he said. "It all worked out. You didn't do anything wrong. Let's just think about what's ahead for us, yeah? Only good stuff from now on."

His boyfriend gave a short nod. "Still."

Naruto covered Sasuke's hand on the wheel. "I love you. That's not ever gonna change. Promise."

Sasuke looked pensive for a moment and then, leaning in, he cupped Naruto's cheek and kissed him on the lips.

"You're too good for me," Sasuke whispered against his cheek before kissing it affectionately.

"Hardly," he said. "Let's go home, though. I know you're tired when you start gettin' all mushy on me."

"Shut up, you." Sasuke smiled, and Naruto reached across to brush his hair to the side.

"How can you see with all that hair in your eyes?"

"Hmm." Sasuke tilted his head and smirked. "How do you feel about doing it in the backseat of this car? Right now?"

"I feel like it'll really put a crick in my back."

"You're no fun." Sasuke pulled out onto the road.

"Reminds me of that scene from _Mallrats_."

"Which one?"

"The one where Ben Affleck is gonna screw Banky's girlfriend in an uncomfortable place, and they all say "you mean in the backseat of a Volkswagen?'"

Sasuke sniggered. "It's not _that_ uncomfortable of a place."

"Yeah, tell that to my ass the first time you did it to me."

"Maybe I'll make my apologies to it later on tonight."

"Tch. We'll see. I wanna bath. Maybe with bubbles and stuff. Just like when I was a kid."

"As you wish," Sasuke said.

"Really? You have bubble bath hidden somewhere?"

"Probably. If not, I'll stop and get some."

"Not worth the trouble," he mumbled, resting his head against the window. "M'just happy I get to be alone with you."

"Well, considering Itachi won't be back tonight, you should have me to yourself until at least tomorrow morning. And here I thought you had a thing for my brother."

"You're so delusional, Sasuke."

"Now that he's free, you two could probably find time to hook up."

"Shut up. You're crazy."

"Maybe, maybe not." Sasuke sounded so serious that Naruto chanced a glance at him.

"Guess you better lay claim to me then," he said. "Make it so everyone knows I'm yours."

Gaze intense, Sasuke stared at him. "Can I hold you to that?"

"Sure." He smiled crookedly. "Whatever you want. Tattoo your name on my ass and have it say 'Belongs to Sasuke Uchiha only'."

"I woudn't go that far," Sasuke replied thoughtfully. "Probably."

Naruto laughed. "Sick, dude."

"Shut it."

"Tch." Naruto punched him in the shoulder. "M'gonna take a nap. Wake me when we get there."

"Sure thing," said his boyfriend. "...Pet."

Naruto blew a raspberry at him and turned the other way, curling up on his side. It wasn't very comfortable, but he was afraid Sasuke would start flicking him in the nose if he passed out sitting up. That was the sort of mature partner he'd decided to settle down with. As he drifted off, he wondered a lot about what Itachi was feeling, what he would do from now on, and when he might come to visit them in Illinois. It had been a long, emotional five days, but he'd grown fond of him. He already felt like an older brother, and he really wanted for them to stay in touch afterward.

That wasn't too much to ask for, right?

* * *

><p>By the time he opened his eyes, they were pulling up to the house. Sasuke let the car idle for a few minutes; his boyfriend was staring ahead at nothing, maybe not having realized he was awake. Silently, Naruto watched him while recalling bits of a dream that had involved a lot of this very person next to him. Because sleep had left him groggy, he started to wonder about Sasuke as a man and as a person. Naruto knew him well, but he - selfishly - wanted more. To know his every thought, whether that included right now or as far back as the instant that Sasuke could talk and think meaningful things. This person whom he loved, who he called his best friend, who was his lover, and someone he couldn't live without. Naruto often was not afraid of feelings and, yet, in that moment, the amount of which he depended on Sasuke for his happiness and sanity felt almost terrifying.<p>

So, when Sasuke turned and looked at him, he might've caught that tiny glimmer of anxiety in his eyes. He cocked his head to the side as if straining to see Naruto better in the dark, and, with a visible frown, he reached over to brush his fingertips across Naruto's cheek. Reflexively, Naruto caught his hand, squeezed it tight, and held it in place.

"Naruto," Sasuke murmured.

Instead of saying anything, Naruto's gaze shifted back and forth across Sasuke's face, wanting _so much_ but knowing that it would be impossible to give words to that feeling of longing and desire.

Sighing, he shut his eyes tight, still holding Sasuke's hand against his cheek. There was an audible click as Sasuke unsnapped his seatbelt for him.

"This reminds me of that time when I drove us home from Chicago," Sasuke said softly. "Should I pull you into my lap?"

"No," he replied hoarsely, shaking his head. "I should be the one pulling you into_my_ lap." Again, he opened his eyes, and it was almost difficult to keep looking at Sasuke because he couldn't get this feeling to lessen. He usually wasn't one to wax existential, but it made him wonder, why did this feeling exist for humans? This longing to absorb another human being? When it was so impossible?

"What are you thinking, Naruto?"

"I don't know."

"Liar."

He sighed again. "Okay. I guess I'm thinking I want to chop you up into tiny pieces and then eat you. Or, maybe, I want my soul to eat yours so that it will always live inside my soul's stomach."

Sasuke looked as though he wanted to laugh, but he didn't. "You want to cannibalize me? Should I be worried?"

Naruto scowled, almost offended that Sasuke didn't _get it_.

"Let's go inside," said Sasuke. "I'll draw you a bath. After all, I have a lot I need to make up to you."

"You don't," he replied immediately. "I don't really wanna eat you, by the way. That would be weird."

"Really? I like it when you eat me."

"Asshole," he muttered.

"Exactly." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto raised a brow. "I'm being serious."

"I know you are."

He continued to scowl. Maybe it had just been a long day, but it was starting to hit him how close they'd almost come to... not being together. He wouldn't have let it happen, but, looking at it from the other side now, that night he spent on the couch really fucking sucked.

"Want to talk about it?" Sasuke asked gently.

"No. I dunno. No, you're right. Let's go in." Naruto finally let go of his hand and reached for the door but Sasuke grabbed his arm.

"I'll make it up to you," he said. "That... I planted doubts in your mind."

"I'm fine," he said automatically, even though his eyes stung. "I never doubted anything. I knew Itachi would be found not guilty, and I knew you'd be stuck with me forever. No matter if you'd tried to kick me to the curb."

That must've been the wrong thing to say because Sasuke flinched.

"Sasuke?" Naruto turned to him; Sasuke had his head bowed, mouth in line with Naruto's chin.

Taking hold of the sides of Sasuke's face, he lifted it, and kissed him on the forehead.

"I love you so much," Naruto told him, lips brushing the other man's skin. He tipped Sasuke's chin up and looked him in the eyes. "You know that, right?"

"I know," Sasuke murmured, reaching for the front of his jacket.

"You didn't hurt my feelings. It's just that the thought of losin' you is the biggest fear in my life. I dunno what I'd do without you."

"...I know."

"Okay then."

He pulled Sasuke closer and kissed him. And, as they kissed, Sasuke pushed him into the seat, placing his hand to Naruto's chest before moving it to the side of his neck. He waited for that instant when Sasuke regained his full confidence again and controlled the next series of long, slow kisses. He let himself simply feel it, focusing solely on Sasuke's body against his, _now_, the way it felt when their lips touched, the beating of his own heart, the familiar scent of Sasuke's cologne, and those intense emotions that always arose when he thought of Sasuke, of the two of them, and everything he knew they both felt. He never would have stopped, so it was Sasuke that eventually drew away. He touched Naruto's lips.

"You know," Sasuke said, suddenly smirking. "There are less gruesome ways of getting me inside you."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "Very subtle."

"Sorry, what I meant to say is I want to fuck your brains out right now."

"Mm. Or vice versa."

"Or vice versa. But first, I promised to take care of you, so get up. Let's go." He gave Naruto a little push to get him out the door.

Once outside, he stretched first after shutting the door and then threw his arms on top of the car. He smiled widely at Sasuke.

"What are you smiling at, loser?" Sasuke asked, coming around to the other side so that he could grab Naruto's hand and lead him to the front door. He only let go when he was unlocking it.

With the keys in the doorknob, Sasuke glanced up at him; Naruto met his gaze, but Sasuke only shook his head and pushed the door open, waiting for Naruto to follow him inside.

"So quiet," he said as Sasuke flipped on the light in the entranceway so they could shuffle out of their shoes.

"We've got the whole place to ourselves. Imagine that."

"Heh."

"I'll meet you in the bathroom. Go get undressed."

"Mmkay. Gimme a sec."

They bumped into each other as they walked down the hall - Sasuke went into the bathroom to start the bath, and Naruto went into the bedroom to take off his clothes. He felt both tired and giddy as he hung his clothes in the closet. Before he headed over to the bathroom, he checked his phone. He'd texted Kiba and his dad right after the verdict came out, but he should probably give them a call at some point. Maybe he could do that while taking a bath.

As he went into the bathroom, he couldn't help but grin at what he saw. "You're really puttin' bubbles in?"

Sasuke was in the process of squeezing the bubble bath into the water. "You asked for it, didn't you?"

Naruto set his phone on the sink counter and went to his boyfriend, who was focused on moving the bubbles around in the tub so that they spread out evenly. He went to stand next to him as Sasuke sat on the edge of the tub. Finally satisfied, Sasuke glanced up at him only to let his eyes rake back down Naruto's naked body. When he was done gawking, he wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist, pulled him closer, and kissed at the top of his hip. As Sasuke hugged him, Naruto placed a hand on top of his head, running fingers through his hair.

"Are you gonna get in with me?" He asked.

"I will," Sasuke said, placing another few kisses to the side of his body. "But I have one or two things I need to do first. Do you want me to bring you some wine?"

"Wine sounds good," he answered. "What kinda things do you gotta do?"

"I need to make a call or two, that's all."

"Okay." He continued rubbing Sasuke's head. "Don't take too long, though. Water will get cold."

Sasuke sighed, and, turning Naruto in his arms, rested his forehead against Naruto's stomach.

Taking hold of his chin, Naruto tilted Sasuke's head up. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm not really thinking anything, to be honest. Other than I feel..."

Naruto brushed his thumb across Sasuke's bottom lip. "How do you feel?"

"So... grateful."

He smiled gently at his boyfriend. "You asked them for help, didn't you? Did you think they'd let you down?"

Sasuke rose to his feet and embraced him. "There are so many things I want to tell you, Naruto."

"You don't have to," he whispered. "I know how you feel. Now, go take care of your stuff. You said I had you all to myself tonight."

"You can have me for longer than that...if you still want to."

Tugging him up by the hair, Naruto forced Sasuke's head off of his shoulder. "Why wouldn't I want you?"

"Because," he said, looking pained. "I let you walk out angry. I didn't try to give you hope."

"Yeah." Naruto kissed his cheek. "But you were bein' honest, and that's one of the qualities that always drew me to you." He kissed Sasuke's other cheek. "I know how much you love your brother. I admire that about you, too. How loyal you are. How much you care about the people close to you. You're a good person, Sasuke. I've always believed that. From the bottom of my heart."

Sasuke's lips parted in surprise. "You should stop."

"Why?" He asked curiously, searching him with an open expression.

"Because... when you're like this it's like you shine too brightly. It makes me feel like I don't even belong here with you."

"Really? 'Cause I can't think of a better place for you to belong than here." He placed his hand over Sasuke's heart. "With me."

Sasuke hummed softly, glanced down, and let his knuckles graze from Naruto's chest to his stomach. Naruto grabbed for his hand and held it in his.

"Accept it," Naruto said to him. "You're the one I've chosen. Out of all the people on the planet, I want you, Sasuke Uchiha. I must have you."

"You already have me," Sasuke said, squeezing his hand.

"Well, I want more than that." He brought Sasuke's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

"What more can I give you?" Sasuke asked gruffly. "Do I have to let you eat me?"

"Yeah, babe. You sure do."

"Hn."

Naruto reached around and grabbed Sasuke's ass. "You really do look good in a suit." He cocked his head. "For a guy."

"And you look really good naked." Sasuke pressed up against his front.

"Do I?"

"Naked and underneath me."

"Naked and _on top_ of you."

Their cheeks touching, Sasuke leaned forward and bit his earlobe. "Naked with me inside you."

Naruto closed his eyes. "But, Sasuke. I thought you liked when I fuck you."

Sasuke bit him again. "I more than like it."

"Say it," he breathed, squeezing Sasuke more tightly against him.

"I love being fucked by you," Sasuke said in his ear. "I love when you're inside me._Fucking_ me."

It took him a second to be able to breathe let alone speak. "...Is that why it never takes long for you to finish?"

Sasuke pressed his fingers into the side of Naruto's neck while kissing at the other and then along the top of his shoulder. "I can't help it. Thinking about you... in those moments. It's more than I can take most of the time."

"Hm. What do you think... in those moments?"

"Dirty things," Sasuke said. "But not just that... it's always more."

"More?"

"How I feel about you...the way you look when we're having sex... the way you look at me."

Naruto touched his cheek. "You better go do what you need to do soon or I'm gonna shove you up against this wall and have my way with you."

Sasuke smirked. "That's not really convincing me I should go."

Naruto pushed him backward.

"Oh. Are we going to play it rough tonight?" Sasuke asked. "And here we were having such a tender moment."

Naruto laughed. "We both know what you actually prefer is when it's nice and slow."

Sasuke cleared his throat and looked away. "You should get in before the water starts getting cold."

"Are you actually blushin'? Tch. It's nothin' to be ashamed of. Come back soon, and I'll make love to you. Just like you want."

Sasuke shook his head. "How'd I ever let you get so cocky?"

"I've always been this cocky," he replied. "Now hand me my phone. If you're gonna leave me, I've got some calls I wanna make, too."

"Ah. Your other boyfriend I presume?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna tell him you said that."

Sasuke shrugged and picked up the phone from off of the sink. He handed it to Naruto. "Go ahead. I'll be back in a little bit to bring you some wine."

"Mmkay." Naruto took it from him. "Seriously, though. Don't take too long. Okay?"

"Give me about 15 minutes?"

He nodded. "Alright."

As Sasuke left, he shut the door behind him. Naruto left the phone next to the tub so that he could reach for it once he got in the water. It was hot, but it felt really good. Maybe the bubbles were a bit childish, but he also just felt like... it was comforting in a way. It reminded him of being a little kid. When his mom used to draw a bath for him. She'd sit next to the side of the tub as he played in the bubbles.

It was amazing, really. He was 23 now. She'd died when he was 12. Eleven years, yet, sometimes it felt as though it'd only been yesterday. Naruto leaned his head against the wall. All this stuff with Itachi had really been dragging up all kinds of memories. It reminded him how important family was. Not just blood family but the people he shared close ties with - whether it was Sasuke, Kiba, Ino, and even Itachi. How could he ever fault Sasuke for having wanted to do anything and everything when it came to his brother?

Definitely, though. It only made him want to cling tighter to the people he loved. Those relationships were so precious to him, and he was glad he'd been able to find a person who felt as strongly about those bonds as he did. Naruto reached for the phone and scrolled through his contacts until he came to Kiba's name. He pushed the call button.

"I was wonderin' when you'd be callin," Kiba said in place of a greeting when he picked up.

"...Kiba," he said in a shaky voice, though he was smiling. "Have I told you how much I love you lately?"

"Huh?"

"Kiba, I love you and Ino."

"Uh, yeah. We love you, too? So, are you gonna tell me about today or what?"

"Yeah. But I just wanted you to know. When I get back home, we are gonna have a sleepover. In one bed. All of us. And we're not leavin' for two days. We're just gonna sit and watch movies and laugh and talk about old times and crap."

"Um...Alright. I dunno about the one bed thing. But I kinda have a feelin' Ino won't argue too much."

Naruto chuckled. "Your girlfriend's a pervert."

Kiba laughed, too. "Tell me about it."

He heard Ino yelling something in the background.

"What'd she say?"

"Who knows? Should I tell her to get back in the kitchen where she belongs?"

"Ha! Not if you wanna live to see tomorrow."

"Hey, I wear the pants in this relationship."

"The hell you do," Naruto remarked, picking up some bubbles in his hand and blowing at them.

"Speaking of the man in the relationship, where's Sasuke?"

"Oh ho. Very funny. Although. He is the one of us wearin' pants."

"...Why aren't you wearin' pants exactly?"

"Sasuke drew me a bubble bath."

"How old are you? Seven?"

"I don't care what you say. It feels awesome."

"He spoils you," said Kiba.

"I know."

"Well. So long as y'know. Now tell me about the trial."

"Okay, well it's kinda a long story."

"S'alright. I've got all the time in the world. I've been waitin' around all night for you to call."

"Gay," he said affectionately. "'Kay. But put me on speaker phone, so I don't have to repeat the whole thing to Ino later."

"Alright, hold on. Ino, c'mere. Say hey to Naruto, babe."

"Hey, Naruto!" Ino practically shouted into the phone. "That's great about Itachi! Is Sasuke super happy and excited?"

"Duh, of course Sasuke's happy," he heard Kiba say.

"Shut up! I was worried about the both of them, and Sasuke's been so stressed out! I want to know if he's okay! Where is he? Is he there now?"

"He stepped out, Ino," Naruto said. "But I'll tell him you were thinkin' about him. He's good. Everyone's a bit drained, I think. We went out to dinner afterward and Sasuke had gotten all of Itachi's old friends together at this pizza place. So, Itachi was gonna head out with them tonight and crash in the city."

"So it's just the two of you alone tonight?" Ino whistled. "Lucky boy."

"Do you mind?" Kiba said to her. "I don't wanna think about my best friend' doin' it with another dude."

"I do," she said.

"God. Naruto. Look what you've done to my girlfriend."

"Hey, do you wanna hear about the trial or not?" He asked.

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Alright. Well..."

He proceeded to tell them all about what happened, everything from not being able to get in at first, to his run-in with Kabuto, the bits of the trial he actually caught, and then when the jury announced the not guilty verdict. It took nearly 20 minutes to tell the whole story and also answer all of Ino and Kiba's questions. By then, he wondered if Sasuke was ever coming back, but just as he was saying goodbye to his friends, the door opened and in walked his boyfriend, two glasses of wine in his hand. He bumped the door shut before walking to the tub to hand Naruto his glass.

"You just missed Kiba and Ino. They said hey and congratulations. Did you finish your stuff?"

"I did," he said, setting his glass on the sink as he proceeded to strip off his clothes and place them in a folded pile. "Sorry it took so long."

Naruto shook his head. "S'okay."

Grabbing his glass, Sasuke got in on the other side of the bathtub. Naruto pulled his knees to his chest to give him more room.

"Shall we make a toast?" Naruto asked.

"Of course. What shall we toast to?"

"How about 'to family'. Hm. To bonds? Family bondage?"

"That sounds terribly inappropriate."

"Well, you're the bondage expert."

"Ha ha," Sasuke replied dryly. "We'll toast to family and friends."

"Okay." They clinked their glasses. "To family and friends then."

"Lovers?" Sasuke added.

"Well. You're my lover and my friend."

"Only 'friend'?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Best friend," Naruto replied. "And lover. What about me?"

"What about you?" Sasuke asked, taking a sip of the wine.

"Am I the closest friend you've ever had?"

"You are," he said. "How unfortunate for you. That you're the closest friend I've ever had."

"You mean _how lucky_."

"How can you be so sure?" Sasuke asked, nudging his shin with a foot.

Naruto shrugged. "I just know. I've always known. Since the day we met."

"Maybe I'm the lucky one," Sasuke pondered aloud.

"Well, that goes without sayin'." While Naruto laughed at his own joke, Sasuke grabbed for his ankle and pulled his leg straight. Then he grabbed the other, and dragged Naruto forward until both of his legs lay overtop Sasuke's. "What a day, huh?"

"Indeed. Now, how do you expect we should spend the rest of the evening? With the whole house to ourselves?"

"I think the question is, how many rooms can we do it in before your brother comes back in the morning?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You want to do it in my parents' bedroom?"

"Er, well no. We don't have to do that one."

"And my brother's room? Actually..."

"I get this feelin' that he'd totally know what we did. And then he'd come for our heads."

"It's a possibility, but that's all the more reason to do it."

"Maybe. I need a few more drinks before I'd even attempt it. How about... dining room table?"

"How about the living room sofa? You didn't even want to do it in the back of my car, but you think having sex on a table would be comfortable?"

"Well, it never has been in the past," Naruto replied, his grin lop-sided.

Sasuke reached forward and swept Naruto's hair out of his eyes for him. "Exactly who have you had sex with on a table, because I am pretty sure we've never attempted that before. Counters do not count."

"It's 'cause you don't even have a proper table in your apartment, and we'd break the one at my apartment if we tried."

"If you didn't drink so much soda, maybe it wouldn't break under your weight."

"Oh, shut up."

"Hn. Well. We'll see. We could always just... go to sleep."

"Ha, yeah right! We're gonna fuck like bunnies 'til the sun comes up."

"Fair enough."

"Heh." He nudged Sasuke in the thigh with his foot. "You love me, admit it."

"I've admitted it several times."

"Hmph."

"Naruto. Come here." Sasuke waved him over with his hand.

"You come over here," he replied. "I'm comfortable."

"Fine. I'll concede. This one time." Sasuke moved Naruto's legs to the side before crawling over and turning around in front of him.

Immediately, Naruto put his arms around Sasuke and settled his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder. He leaned back against the wall, taking Sasuke with him. They lay together quietly, his hand pressed to Sasuke's stomach.

"It smells kinda good? Did you spray somethin'?"

Sasuke shook his head. "You're senile. I didn't spray anything."

"Weird. It smells kinda like... vanilla." He placed a kiss to Sasuke's shoulder... and then he pushed the hair at the nape of his neck to the side, kissing there, as well. "Maybe it's the bubble bath."

"Maybe," Sasuke replied. "Now shh. It's time to relax."

"Fine." He squeezed Sasuke tightly. "They should call you Sasuke Bossypants."

"If anyone called me that, I'd cut off their fingers."

"You wouldn't do that to me since you know what my fingers can do." Naruto's hand moved lower down Sasuke's stomach. "But, at least you didn't say you'd cut out my tongue."

"I'll leave you one hand, and you can keep your tongue."

"You're so generous, Sasuke."

"And?"

"And smart."

"And?"

Naruto chuckled. "And sexy." He let his hand slip between Sasuke's legs, brushing over him briefly. "You're fuckin' hot, really. I'm gonna get too excited in a minute."

"Of the two of us, who's the one who gets off too quickly again?"

"I have to admit. Even the sound of your voice can turn me on."

"I noticed that last night."

"No idea what you mean," he said, feigning innocence.

"Uh huh. Say my name, Naruto."

"Sasuke," he groaned, the name coming out like an almost whine. He felt the stirring of his own excitement and had to bite his lip. He took hold of Sasuke's hip, fingers digging into the skin.

"Getting excited just by saying my name..." Sasuke glanced at him over his shoulder. "I've trained you well."

"I guess so," he replied, moving in for a kiss. "I think I know which room we're gonna do it in first."

"You think?"

Sasuke closed the distance, kissing him first, tongue pushing forcefully through his lips to touch Naruto's. They kissed for a while, but, instead of going at it, Sasuke turned around again and let Naruto hold him. That was nice, too. Very relaxing. They both sipped at their wine while Naruto occasionally placed kisses to Sasuke's back, shoulders, and neck.

"Are we gonna stay in here forever?" Naruto asked. "The water's getting cold."

"We can get out," Sasuke said. "I could use another glass of wine." He handed the glass to Naruto as Sasuke stood, giving him a healthy close-up of his ass. "Get up. I'll turn the shower on so that I can wash the bubbles off of you."

Naruto set their glasses on the floor, and when Sasuke offered his hand, Naruto took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. They stood together underneath the spray, each washing the bubbles from off one another, occasionally sharing kisses and caresses. Maybe it was from being in the warm water for so long, but his head felt light and dizzy. Even when they turned off the shower, Naruto still held Sasuke in his arms like he didn't want to ever let go. He showered him with kisses and offered intimate words that stirred up Sasuke's passion.

"I thought we were gonna get some more wine," Naruto remarked when Sasuke kept giving him quite the ravenous look.

"Then stop talking like that," he replied.

"Talking like what?"

"You _know_."

"But you like when I say that stuff," Naruto said, leaning in to kiss the corner of his mouth one last time. "Don't you think I want the person I'm in love with to know exactly how I feel about them? You're amazing, Sasuke. Deal with it. There's not a damn thing I don't love about you."

"Shut up," Sasuke looked away while covering Naruto's face. "You talk too much, idiot."

Naruto took hold of his hand and moved it so that their joined hands hung by their sides. He grabbed Sasuke's hip with the other hand and, tilting his head, had his lips pressed very near to Sasuke's cheek.

"Let me love you like I want," he whispered. "Let me show you." He lowered his head so that he could skim his teeth up Sasuke's neck.

Without a word, Sasuke squeezed his hand and led him out of the tub so that they could dry each other off. Naruto took every chance he could to touch his boyfriend, especially when his ass was anywhere near the vicinity of his hand.

"So, where to first?" Naruto asked as he picked up both of their glasses. "Got anywhere in mind?"

Before opening the door, Sasuke turned back. "It's a surprise."

"You're full of surprises tonight, aren't you? First Itachi, and now me?"

"It takes a lot to surprise you, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"Hm."

"Shall we?" Sasuke asked.

"We shall," he replied and gave his boyfriend's ass a hard smack.


	13. All Apologies

Edited for content.

* * *

><p>As Sasuke opened the bathroom door for him, a soft glow of light filled the entire hallway and bedroom. Naruto stopped, almost letting go of Sasuke's hand in his surprise. Inside the bedroom, there were at least a dozen lit candles on the dresser, desk, and even on the floor. The hallway was lined with tealights in glass votives and appeared to follow a path all the way to the living room.<p>

He glanced at Sasuke. "What's this...?"

Sasuke brought Naruto's hand to his lips and kissed it. "A romantic gesture."

He didn't know whether to smile or cry, so he ended up doing a little of both. "...Why?"

It's not like he didn't know or understand, but something inside him, something that felt very fragile needed to hear an explanation. Why did he deserve this? Why did he deserve this sort of love? What had he done to deserve it? Those were the only things he could think about.

"You look conflicted," Sasuke said, brow furrowing slightly.

Naruto shook his head and laughed as he wiped at one of his eyes. "It's just... unexpected."

"Even I'm capable of romance on occasion. Usually it's you who carries out the grand gestures, but after the past few days... I really wanted you to know how much I appreciate you sticking with me, for always saying that it would turn out okay, and for even offering to move to Seattle if - "

Naruto held a hand up to stop him. "I... don't know what to say. I'm not used to - "

"I know." Sasuke placed a kiss on his cheek. "Come. I'll get you some wine."

He followed behind Sasuke, who towed him by the hand like a little kid. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least. As they headed for the kitchen, they passed the dining and living rooms, which were also aglow with candlelight. Instead of making calls like Sasuke had told him, he'd obviously spent those 20 minutes lighting all of these individually. No wonder it had started to smell of vanilla while he was in the bath. He watched as Sasuke poured him some wine out of a bottle that had been chilling in an ice bucket. He handed the glass to Naruto, who grabbed for it with a shaking hand.

Sasuke noticed. "Naruto?"

He chewed at his lip. "I've never had anyone do somethin' like this for me. Sorry if I seem... sorta out of it."

Sasuke brushed the back of his hand across Naruto's cheek and left it there. "I told you. When this was all over... I would make it up to you."

"You don't have to make anything up to me, Sasuke." He leaned into his boyfriend's hand.

"I thought you were going to show me something...?"

"Hm?"

Sasuke smirked. "Your love... aren't you going to show it to me?" He trailed his hand from Naruto's shoulder and chest to his lower stomach.

"Heh. Definitely. I just..."

"Mm?" Sasuke murmured as his gaze shifted from what his hand was doing, to him.

"I love you."

Sasuke regarded him intently. "Naruto..."

Feeling like he needed it, he was able to get the wine glass to his lips so that he could take a small sip, unsure of why he was anxious. No, anxious wasn't the right word. What he'd said about feeling overwhelmed was correct. He'd known since Day 1 that he'd never felt this way about another person, but, right now, the way he felt... it was almost too much. The love he felt for Sasuke, the excitement he held inside for what might happen for them in the future.

"I hope you know," Sasuke told him, "How much more I want with you. I know it might have seemed like I was unsure when I couldn't give you an answer, but before we came here, I almost felt incapacitated by the fear of losing you..."

"Shut up."

Sasuke took Naruto's wine and set it on the counter alongside his own glass. "I won't shut up." He placed a hand at the back of Naruto's neck, fingers playing with the hair covering his nape. "I... sometimes I think... I'm not even worthy of you. I've always acknowledged that you have strengths I don't have and at times that's made me weak in some ways. I didn't know for sure if I deserved to walk beside you. I feel... very ashamed about the other night."

The hand on his neck pushed up into his hair. Sasuke's look was so...

"Sasuke," he whispered.

"Come on."

Sasuke took his hand and led him into the living room. There were candles on the cabinets, shelves, and coffee table. He had Naruto take a seat on the sofa, which was covered in soft blankets. Also on the table was a recognizable bottle, which he gazed at for some time as Sasuke turned on the record player. The music began to play, something instrumental, jazzy, and smooth. Sasuke kept the volume low, and as he stood, Naruto stared at the outline of his boyfriend's naked body. The tiny candle flames allowed for playful shadows to dance across the room. Sasuke came to him, and Naruto's immediate reaction was to place a hand on his hip and rest his head against Sasuke's stomach. He felt Sasuke's fingers gently combing through his hair and - taking in one deep breath - Naruto looked up at him.

He grabbed hold of his boyfriend's wrist, pulling him into his lap so that he ended up straddling his thighs. With their hands joined, Sasuke set them on the top of the sofa as he made himself more comfortable.

"You seem vulnerable," Sasuke teased. "Maybe I'll make the first move." He kissed each of Naruto's temples, eyelids, cheeks, jaw, and then started in on his throat - licking, kissing, and biting, all while restraining Naruto's hands. "I want to show you love, too."

Naruto closed his eyes in pleasure as he felt his lover's mouth travel over his body. Sasuke began to rock his hips forward, allowing for a certain friction whenever their cocks came into contact. The feeling from earlier that had been keeping him subdued started to subside, a growing passion, instead, blooming in its place. It built quickly, and, when he opened his eyes, it was to find Sasuke's lips parted - tongue seductively dabbing at his lower lip, wetting it.

"I see I have your attention," Sasuke said, smirking knowingly.

The challenging look in his eye caused Naruto's mood to shift into something more predatory in response. With a growl, he gripped his boyfriend's waist and dragged him closer, forcing Sasuke's body to move against his. When Sasuke leaned in, their lips met in a hungry kiss, full of need and wanting and possession. Naruto's hands drifted to Sasuke's back, scratching hard down his shoulder blades and on either side of his spine.

Sasuke broke their kiss long enough to tilt his head up and gasp, and with his lids falling half-way shut, Naruto pulled him back down so that he could suck at his throat. He bit at the pale skin, purposely wanting to leave marks. As Sasuke slipped a hand between them, he grasped both of their stiffening cocks and stroked them together roughly.

Again, Naruto growled and clamped his teeth down on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Fuck, Naruto," Sasuke gasped again.

He covered his boyfriend's hand with his and forced him to remove it so that he could pick Sasuke up under the arms and toss him onto the blankets. Crawling on top, Naruto settled between his legs. Their bodies tangled together, pelvises thrusting in an urgent, graceless rhythm. Sasuke threaded his fingers in Naruto's hair, tugging harshly at it the instant teeth scraped up the side of his throat. Their breathing was so loud that, for whatever crazy reason, Naruto found himself smirking.

"I can't believe I'm humpin' you on your family's couch. You really have no shame, do you?" He slowed his hips and moved them in a circular motion.

Sasuke's gaze was slow to focus on him. "You should know by now I have no shame when it comes to sex with you."

"Oh?" Naruto leaned over and, with his nose, nudged him in the neck. "What are you willing to do, hm?"

"Everything," Sasuke groaned as Naruto bit him hard on his collarbone.

He got up, shifting around so that he could slide lower and take one of Sasuke's nipples into his mouth. Sucking on it hungrily, he tasted salt and a little of the soap from the shower. He continued playing with it using his tongue and teeth. Sasuke pushed at the back of his head, arching off of the couch when he slipped a hand to the inside of his thigh.

Naruto rubbed the hard muscle, feeling it shift underneath his touch. He caressed his boyfriend's muscular calf as he crawled even lower down his body, leaving a trail of kisses along his stomach and hip before taking Sasuke's leaking cock into his mouth. He wrapped his lips around the length, laving it with his tongue, slicking it and finding the taste so intoxicating that he was about to lose the last vestiges of his calm. Bobbing his head between Sasuke's legs, he took him all the way in until the dark pubic hairs tickled at his nose and he could feel the head nearly touching the back of his throat. One of Sasuke's moans caught his attention, and, with lips stretched and full of cock, he raised his eyes.

There was a flush to Sasuke's skin, and sweat had broken out along his chest, cheeks, arms, and upper lip. As their eyes met, Naruto was hit by an intense wash of desire that curled and unfolded within him like a slow-burning fire. He opened his throat wider and closed his eyes.

"God," Sasuke moaned, placing a hand at the back of his head to encourage him. "Naruto, I..."

Naruto reached for one of Sasuke's hands as he let him slip from his mouth. He started skimming his moistened lips along the sides of the now rigid shaft, nuzzling a cheek against it before moving to suck at the curved part of the head and the tip.

"Come here," Sasuke growled.

The command gave Naruto pause, and he tilted his head, sharing a look meant to remind Sasuke just who he thought was in charge.

Sasuke smirked. "You don't _want_ to fuck me?"

Naruto pounced on him - bringing their mouths just out of reach. He settled on top of Sasuke's body, acutely aware of the hardness pressed to his stomach.

"I'll fuck you alright," he said gruffly, eyes bright as he took a quick nip at Sasuke's lower lip, "But first, I want to take you _slowly_, Sasuke." He brushed their cheeks together and moved to speak near his boyfriend's ear, "I love the way you are when we make love. The way you cling to me, the way you sound like you need it, like I'm reaching places that are so deep, places no one's ever touched before..."

"No one has," Sasuke whispered, and Naruto felt satisfied.

Shifting to his knees, he reached for the bottle on the table so that he could slick his aching cock. His hand shook as he coated himself. He wanted to be inside Sasuke so bad right now he almost couldn't stand it.

* * *

><p>Words seemed to try to form on Sasuke's lips, but nothing came out, leaving Naruto to whisper all kinds of things in his ear - how much he loved him, how good he felt, how amazing a person he was, how happy he was that they were together, how worthy he was, how good he looked, how talented and smart... how he was Naruto's perfect match... how being inside him like this was more than he could ask for. That sex before this couldn't ever compare because...<p>

"I am so fucking in love with you, Sasuke," he said, going so deep that his boyfriend arched off of the couch and clung to his back, digging his nails in as he hit his climax.

With a grunt, Naruto rode it out with him, picking up his pace as he gripped Sasuke's thighs and dragged him closer toward his body. He kept watching as his cock penetrated him, leaving Sasuke to bounce bonelessly with the onslaught of quickening thrusts. Sasuke groaned, eyes falling shut and fingers dragging across the patches of white staining his stomach.

Growling in his throat, Naruto pulled out as he came only to entered him again, driving in over and over until he was pulled out again and, moving lower down the couch, he lifted Sasuke's legs in the air and thrust his tongue inside him. Naruto could taste himself as he pushed the remnants of his cum deeper, licking and probing until with a short shout, Sasuke appeared to reach another climax that left his body shaking. When Naruto didn't immediately stop, Sasuke grabbed him by the hair, and with a satisfied smack of his lips, Naruto crawled back on top of him. Their mouths met in a sloppy, bruising kiss while he continued to grind his hips, feeling like he could go again right away, but since Sasuke looked on the verge of blacking out, he decided to show mercy, after all.

"You asshole," Sasuke scolded him affectionately.

With a snicker, Naruto kissed him on the cheek, the neck, shoulder, everywhere he could reach when Sasuke was holding him this tightly.

"That's one room down," he said, swiping at his bangs, which had been clinging to his forehead. "Which one's next?"

Sasuke only grunted, his hand traveling in a circle near Naruto's hip.

"No preference? Then," he smirked. "How about Itachi's room?"

Sasuke snorted. "I thought you were against doing it in my brother's room."

"Well, he is the guy who let himself get accused of a crime he didn't even commit, dragged you into all of it and stressed you out, and now has willingly left the house to us... with his bedroom door wide open..."

"Hn. You're sick."

"Are you sayin' that 'cause I stuck my tongue in your ass after I came in it?"

Sasuke pushed him off a bit so that he could give him an incredulous look that caused him no shame in the slightest.

Naruto waggled his eyebrows. "What? You obviously loved it. You came again."

"When we get home," said Sasuke. "I am going to show you just how much I've held back these past four months."

"Oh, you've held back, eh? Sounds like a threat to me."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Naruto. As soon as I get some water and rehydrate, I am going to fuck you so hard that you're going to have trouble walking tomorrow."

Naruto gave his boyfriend's thigh a slap. "Fine. If you think you can handle me."

"Naruto." He grabbed Naruto's ass. "Just who do you think you're talking to?"

"I can't help it. I'm feelin' all... alpha male for some reason."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Enjoy it while you can. I'll give you 10 minutes and then your ass is _mine_."

"Heh." Naruto kissed him on the cheek, almost giddy. "It already belongs to you, bastard. But I'll be happy to have you show me... show me who I belong to. Remind me..."

"You're mine, Naruto. No one else's." Sasuke scratched up and down his back.

Naruto whimpered. "I'm yours," he said. "Yours and no one else's."

"Damn right." Sasuke slapped his ass hard enough that it left an excruciating sting that kept his skin tingling a few minutes afterward.

"Fuck, you're hot!" He buried his face in Sasuke's neck. "How can I still be so horny after all of that?"

"It's to be expected," Sasuke said, kissing the top of his shoulder. "When you're dating me."

"Yeah. Definitely. I..." He exhaled deeply, already feeling a bit of soreness seeping into the muscles of his arms and thighs.

"Hm?" Sasuke cupped his cheek, tenderly stroking it with a thumb.

"I'll go get you some water." He started to get up, but Sasuke wouldn't let him go.

"Get it in a minute. I'm not ready for you to go anywhere yet."

"Mmkay."

He lay half on top of Sasuke and half pressed against the side of the couch, resting his head on Sasuke's shoulder as his boyfriend soothingly kept running fingers through his hair. He must've sighed a half-dozen times while listening to the sound of Sasuke's slowing heartbeat. Naruto could've lay like that forever, but, after a while, he did get up to fill his wine glass and also grab Sasuke some water.

After cleaning up a little bit more, they finally decided to move on to the next room. If Itachi was as smart as Naruto thought, he would've considered locking his room before leaving this morning.

Well, that's what he gets for making Sasuke worry and causing Naruto to think, even if for just one night, that he'd lose the most important person in his life over all of this.

Sasuke.

His best friend, lover... soulmate.

It really seemed to have worked out as it should in the end, and that's the kind of story he could always get behind.

* * *

><p>In the early morning hours, the two of them found their way back to Sasuke's bed. Most of the candles had burned down by then, but they at least had enough energy to blow out the remaining few. To be honest, Naruto was already feeling incredibly sore, and not just his arms and legs. He couldn't even remember the last time they went on a sex marathon like that, and he definitely would've considered another bath if he didn't think he'd pass out in it and drown. Naked, they slipped under the sheets. Anything Sasuke said came out barely coherent, so, not wanting him to feel ill in the morning, Naruto placed a bottled water on the sidetable nearest him if he needed it. It probably also hadn't helped that they'd gone through two full bottles of wine either. The only rooms they hadn't done it in would be Sasuke's parents' room (obviously), the garage, and kitchen. Well, Itachi's bathroom, too, and, to be fair, he only went down on him in his own bathroom. For some reason, his favorite room had been the upstairs spare bedroomoffice. They'd started out on the futon but somehow ended up on the floor, and, tangled up afterward, Sasuke told him about how he used to practice playing the guitar in that room during high school.

As they lay in bed, though, Naruto was on his back, staring up at the ceiling; Sasuke was on his stomach, facing Naruto, but clearly having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Naruto," he called sleepily and, gently, traced a zigzag line from his upper arm to his elbow.

Naruto smiled tiredly. "Don't even tell me you wanna do it one more time."

Sasuke chuckled. "...Only if you wanted to. You'll have to do all the work, though, and don't hold it against me if I fall asleep in the middle."

"Ah, as fun as that sounds, I think if I so much as move right now, m'gonna get a serious leg cramp."

Sasuke actually looked concerned as he raised himself onto an elbow. "Do you want me to rub it?"

Naruto chewed his lip, trying to suppress what would've been a very large grin. "No," he replied softly and, reaching across, brushed Sasuke's hair out of his eyes. "I want to know I've exhausted you to the point that you can't so much as lift a finger."

"Hn. I think you can rest assured I'm not going anywhere." He closed his eyes again, and Naruto rolled over onto his side so that he could play with Sasuke's hair and massage his head.

His boyfriend let out a groan. "God, what are you doing to me? Can a man die of pleasure?"

"Hm. I wonder."

"In my dream the other night, I was the one doing this to you."

"You're still goin' on about that?" He let his thumb rub the shell of Sasuke's ear. "Why are you still thinkin' about this dream me? After tonight, you should only be thinkin' about me and how I satisfy all of your desires."

"You do," Sasuke breathed. "I feel..."

"Hm?" Naruto nudged Sasuke's hairline with his nose.

"Say nice things to me."

"Like what...?" He continued stroking his boyfriend's hair.

"I dunno."

"You don't know?" He asked, knocking him lightly on the head. "How do you not know?"

"I'm tired, shut up."

"You're slurring, Sasuke. Are you drunk?"

"No," He cracked open an eye to glare at Naruto. "Just... something. Like you say sometimes..."

"Ah, you want to hear more of that kind of stuff?" He tugged at a longer piece of hair. "Haven't you heard enough of that tonight?"

"No. Can never hear enough of that... from you."

"Okay." He snuggled closer to Sasuke and threw an arm across his lower back. "Sasuke...," Naruto breathed against his ear, and in a low, tender voice, told him what he knew his boyfriend wanted to hear. "I've never had a lover like you before... not just the sex, which is clearly the most amazing I've ever had with anybody. I... could never get tired of making love to you over and over again. But," he paused as he shut his eyes and rested his forehead against Sasuke's shoulder, "I... long for you. Even when we're this close. I feel like, when you're next to me, I'm completely calm. I could follow you anywhere. I need you to stay by my side. Forever if possible."

"That was good. I liked that."

Naruto chuckled against him. "I'm glad."

"Does that mean you'll move in with me when we get back?"

"How about I promise that before your birthday, I'll tell my landlord I won't be renewin' my lease at the end of July."

Sasuke shifted around underneath him, so Naruto moved off and, looking down, saw that Sasuke wore an odd expression.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I think I could go one more time," Sasuke replied.

"Seriously? I can't move, and... if you fuck me one more time, I, literally, will not be able to walk at all tomorrow."

"I told you." Sasuke smirked. "But fine. I do want us to maybe do a few things in the city before we have to fly back."

"Can you believe we've nearly been here a week? I can't tell if it feels like it flew by or it's actually felt like we've been here forever."

"It has been... particularly exhausting."

"All the more reason for us to get some sleep."

"Call me lover again first," Sasuke said, offering one of those breath-taking smiles that made Naruto's brain turn to mush.

"Lover," he said through a huge grin. "You're my lover, Sasuke. My L-O-V-E-R."

"I'm surprised you spelled it correctly."

"Shut up!" He laughed, even as Sasuke started pushing at him.

"Roll over," he told Naruto.

Obediently, he rolled over, and Sasuke slipped an arm around him, nuzzling at his neck and shoulder.

Naruto gave a loud sigh. "Do you love me?"

"What do you think?" Sasuke placed a kiss atop his shoulder.

"Do you love me, Sasuke Uchiha?"

"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki. From your ridiculously blond hair to your _ridiculously_blue eyes and incredible stamina. I love you."

Naruto wiggled in his arms.

"Calm down, pet," Sasuke teased.

He wiggled again. "Dammit, why does you sayin' that stupid pet name make me all... blegh."

"I also love your way with words."

"Oh, fuck you."

"Keep going. This is really doing it for me," Sasuke said dryly.

"Damn you, Sasuke, you sarcastic bastard. After I said all those nice things to you - "

Sasuke took hold of his arm and rolled him onto his back. He gave Naruto two seconds before he moved in for a kiss that immediately calmed him.

"We can express our affection for each other in different ways, can't we?" Sasuke asked as he drew away from the kiss.

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke planted one more chaste kiss to his lips before rolling him back the other way again. After that, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Go to sleep, Naruto."

* * *

><p>They slept in until 11 a.m., and Naruto could have definitely slept longer, but at that same time, an annoying vibrating sound issued from somewhere close to his suitcase. Still groggy from sleep and the pain of some severely aching muscles, he thought that maybe he really had brought that vibrating butt plug with him. But, after Sasuke got out of bed to sort through a pile of clothes on the floor, he found his cell phone and answered it.<p>

"Yes, we were still asleep," he said grouchily into the phone.

In the meantime, Naruto rolled onto his back, stretched, and (lecherously) checked out his boyfriend's backside. He swore there was the outline of a handprint on Sasuke's left butt cheek, and, even though the room wasn't well lit, there were a few other marks that he could see from here.

Suddenly, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at him. "We might be able to get there by then."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and because he was in the mood to be a bit of an obnoxious dick, decided to slip a hand under the sheet so that - while Sasuke watched - he could start stroking himself. This time it was Sasuke's turn to raise a brow. He didn't think his boyfriend would have it in him, but Sasuke approached the foot of the bed, even slipping a knee on top of it. He waved his hand for Naruto to continue, so he did. While Sasuke kept talking to his brother, he slowly dragged the sheet downward so that he could see what Naruto was doing.

"I'm not distracted," said Sasuke. "I'm listening."

Turned on by having Sasuke's eyes on him, he bit his lip, caressing it with his tongue afterward. He pumped himself leisurely, only stopping when Sasuke decided to straddle his thighs and do the work for him. Naruto simply folded his arms underneath his head and enjoyed the show.

Putting together what he'd heard of the conversation so far, they were apparently meeting Itachi in the city. He remembered Sasuke had mentioned something about seeing some sights before they left, so maybe he would finally get that tour he always wanted?

"Hmm." Naruto's lids started to slip closed while watching Sasuke's hand moving up and down his cock.

_Finally_, having finished his conversation, Sasuke tossed his phone to the side and crawled his way up Naruto's body.

"Do we have plans?" Naruto asked him.

"We're meeting Itachi in the city. You wanted a tour, didn't you?"

Naruto nodded. "I do."

"I thought you would've had your fill of sex after last night?"

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders after his boyfriend took both their lengths in hand and started pumping them. "I could never get enough of you, Sasuke."

"Well, maybe we can finish this in the shower because I told him we'd be there within the next 90 minutes."

"Ah, man, but it's... _fuck_. Just startin' to..."

"Care to finish your sentence?"

He grunted. "Not sure I can."

Sasuke moved his hand out from between them and rolled off, much to his disappointment.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, he gave Naruto's thigh a hardy slap. "Shower with me?"

Naruto sat up and gave his arms another stretch before squinting down at his penis, which was now standing at attention.

"If you shower with me, I'll be sure to take care of that for you," Sasuke offered.

"Damn right you will," Naruto said with a grin, "You've gotta take responsibility."

"You're the one who started jerking off while I was on the phone with my brother."

"Do y'think we should tell him that we did it in his bed?"

"Not if you want to ever see your father or Kiba or Ino or Ollie again."

He chuckled. "I'll change the sheets."

"Maybe burn them," Sasuke suggested with a smirk.

"I dunno. I kinda like the idea of him sleepin' on sheets that we did it on."

"Yes, well. Why don't you make a note of it in your journal." He reached for Naruto's hand and forced him to get off of the bed.

"Say, Sasuke," he said as they walked out of the bedroom together. "...As part of this tour, do y'think you might take me to your old high school?"

Sasuke paused a foot away from the bathroom door. "Why would you want to see that?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. I've just wanted to see it since we arrived here."

"I suppose... if you really want to."

Naruto gave him a push through the doorway. "I want to, but not if it's a hassle."

"It's not a hassle, it's just... an unexpected request." Sasuke grabbed a couple of white towels from off of the shelf in the corner.

"Is it?" Naruto asked, turning on the shower for them. "I wanna see all the places you used to hang out as a kid. You've seen a lot of the places that I used to cause trouble in Joliet."

"I suppose it's only fair then," Sasuke said softly as he slid his hand down Naruto's arm.

Naruto eyed his boyfriend's mouth before moving in to capture it in a kiss. He snaked his arm around the other man's waist as they kissed for several minutes.

Eventually they managed to get in the shower, which is where he learned that even a full evening of sex didn't leave either of them lacking interest in sneaking in a quickie. Afterward, they got dressed, cleaned up the house a bit, and had a modest breakfast of Cheerios.

When they were outside and walking to the car, Sasuke handed Naruto the sunglasses he'd left on the bedroom dresser. It was actually pretty sunny out.

"You're always forgetting these," Sasuke said to him.

"Good thing I have you to take care of me," he replied as he got into the rental car.

When they were driving on the highway, Naruto lost himself to his thoughts. His body felt physically tired, but there was a level of anticipation growing inside of him, leaving him a little anxious. But in a good way. He was excited about being able to see the places Sasuke had gone to as a teenager. Having wondered about Sasuke at that age for so long, he really thought this might fill in some pieces of the puzzle. Then again, he might get all emotional like he sometimes did and bawl like a baby.

"Everything okay?" Sasuke asked after he'd been spacing out for 10 minutes.

"I'm good," he replied. "Just thinkin' about today."

"Are you excited to see my old haunts?"

"More than you'll ever know, I'm sure."

"Hm?" Sasuke asked, apparently having not heard him.

"Nothin'. Just keep drivin'. Don't leave anything out either. I'll know it if you do!"

Sasuke chuckled. "I know. I won't leave anything out. I'm... also excited. To show you some of these places. Maybe I'll even take you for a ride on the ferry."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something amazingly clever about _that_ when Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him.

"Don't even. I know what you're going to say, but if you refer to me as a fairy, we're over."

"Stupid palindromes," Naruto muttered.

"Yeah, well," said Sasuke, grabbing for his hand, "Put it on a t-shirt."

"Heh. Could you still love me if I was a hipster who always wore ironic t-shirts?"

"Probably not," Sasuke answered. "Then again. I always like you best when you're not wearing any clothes at all."

"Don't blame ya," Naruto said. "After all, they do hide my best quality."

"Your personality?" Sasuke gave him a playful sideways glance before turning his eyes back to the road.

"Sure, my personality," Naruto replied sarcastically. "Because that's what you were sayin' last night. 'Yes, Naruto, stick your personality so deep that I can feel it in my teeth!'."

"Who the fuck would say something like that?" Sasuke made a face of disgust.

"Someone says that kind of shit."

"Well, we don't. You don't. I don't."

"No, I like the shit you say. You've got a crazy dirty mouth." He reached over and grabbed his boyfriend's thigh.

Sasuke smirked. "It works on you, that's for sure."

"Fuck yeah, it does. It's hot as hell. Obviously."

"Hn."

"You bastard." Naruto, grinning so wide it kind of hurt, glanced out the window at the passing scenery. "I still love you, though."

"I know."

"Maybe I'll even marry you one day."

"We'll see."

Naruto turned back with a scowl. "We'll see? What? Are you holdin' out for a better offer?"

Sasuke looked his way but didn't say anything, so Naruto gave him another squeeze as punishment before letting go.

"Hmph. I see how it is."

"You know I just say those kinds of things because you look so fucking cute when you pout, right?"

"I'm not pouting." Naruto stuck out his bottom lip.

"Uh huh."

Sasuke's cocky smirk didn't make him feel any better, but he chuckled anyway.

"Just keep drivin', jerk."

"Yes, Miss Daisy."

Naruto let out another loud laugh. "Ah, I fuckin' love you."

* * *

><p>With the two of them laughing, joking, and picking on each other the entire way into the city, it almost felt as if the last few days hadn't happened. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off of Sasuke's shoulders, and he was back to being the man Naruto knew. Not to say that seeing the other parts of Sasuke was bad in any way. Having been in relationships before, he knew getting through this week only made what they had stronger. But, before he could make a comment about it, they were turning into a gated parking lot, and, in front of him, was this huge brick school with ivy growing up the side, tennis and basketball courts, and a few teenagers dressed in uniforms coming out of the front entrance.<p>

"...What is this?" Naruto asked. "Is this your high school?"

"Can't put anything past you, can I?" Sasuke put the car in park and unsnapped his seatbelt.

"Are those...," he spied the students walking by them, "The same uniforms you used to wear?"

"Yep." Sasuke leaned into his space. "Why? Is it doing something for you to think about me in a uniform?"

"Er..." Naruto didn't know what to say. If he'd had time to think about it, he would've said yes, but he was far too excited to visit this part of Sasuke's past to have time for dirty thoughts.

"Do you want a tour or what?" Sasuke asked, looking amused. "I told Itachi we'd be a little late in meeting him."

"Wait, we can go inside? Aren't there rules against visitors and stuff?"

"Well, I'm an alumni. Not to mention I knew the principal pretty well, and... if he hasn't quit yet, my old homeroom teacher should be here, too." He opened his door, and Naruto followed suit.

"Damn, this would've been a nice place to go to school, huh?"

"I'm sure public school had its charm," Sasuke replied, knocking into him.

A couple of girls who looked to be about 16 walked by them and started giggling. Naruto looked behind them, waving and smiling at the teens.

"Idiot," Sasuke said. "Eyes to the front. They're not even legal." He cuffed the back of Naruto's head.

"Huh? I was just bein' friendly."

"Sure." Apparently feeling territorial, Sasuke placed a hand at his lower back until they reached the entrance.

Walking inside the building, it felt kind of cold somehow. He couldn't have ever imagined going to a school like this, not to mention he wouldn't have been able to afford it. Along the hallway, there were lots of old black and white photos of some of the first classes to graduate. A few of the photos dated back to the 1940s.

"Are you up there anywhere?" Naruto asked, searching for the more recent graduates.

"Probably. This is the office up here, I'll see if we can get permission to wander around. The receptionist here used to like me quite a bit."

"Yeah, I bet." Naruto was left in the hall to continue searching the portraits.

It felt like a scene straight out of Dead Poet's Society, and now all he needed was to hear Robin Williams whispering in his ear, "Seize the day." Weird to think about Sasuke going here, dressed all prim and proper in a uniform. He would've been top of his class, but, really, Naruto didn't know much about this time in his boyfriend's life. He turned around when he heard a booming voice coming from behind him.

"Who would've thought you'd be back for a visit?" Asked the gruff voice of an older man with bushy white hair. He must've been in his early 60s, and when he saw Naruto, he gave pause. "Is this a friend of yours, Uchiha?"

Sasuke, looking disgruntled, turned to him. "Naruto, this was the principal of the school while I was here."

"Hey, kid. I'm Jiraiya, and you..." The old man squinted at him after removing his glasses. "Look awfully familiar. Did you go here? Hm. No... I'd remember if you did."

"No, sir," said Naruto. "I'm from Chicago. This is my first time in Seattle."

"For some reason, he wanted to see where I went to school," Sasuke said, smirking.

"Of course he would," said the principal. "We're one of the best private schools in the country. We have a lot of alumni who return and want to show the place off to their family or... whatever."

"Hm. If you don't mind me askin," Naruto avoided eye contact with Sasuke, aware he'd only get glared at for asking this, "But what was Sasuke like as a student?"

"Ah, how should I put it?" Jiraiya scratched his chin as he leaned against the doorway. "He was intelligent, fair, responsible, good at track, and, as I recall, one hard-headed little punk. Although, he used to break up fights between students, so, in that way, he made my job easier. A lot of the student body looked up to him."

"Really?" He asked excitedly. "Do you have time to walk around with us and tell me more about him so that - "

Sasuke clapped a hand over his mouth. "The principal has a busy schedule, Naruto. It's enough that he's agreed to let us walk around the campus, but he doesn't have time to feed you stories about the old days."

"Actually - " The old man started to say, but Sasuke was quick to grab his hand and drag him away from the office.

Naruto could hear Jiraiya laughing from down the hall, and when Sasuke finally stopped pulling him around, they were standing in front of an empty classroom. Through the glass in the door, he could see an older man with silver hair sitting at his desk. He appeared to be going through some papers and marking them up with a red pen.

"Do you know him?" Naruto asked.

"I do. He's a friend of Itachi's. He was my..." He glanced at Naruto, "...homeroom teacher."

"Hm. What's his name?"

"Kakashi," said Sasuke. "Kakashi Hatake."

"I think Itachi mentioned him, right?"

"Neither of them could ever mind their own business. Kakashi would go out of his way to try and embarrass me as much as possible."

Naruto chuckled. "He looks cool. Are we goin' in, or are you just gonna stand here? Don't tell me you've gotten shy?"

"Hardly." Sasuke opened the door, and the man at the desk glanced up from his papers.

"I figured you'd be in town, Sasuke," he said. "I was glad to hear about your brother. How is he doing?"

Sasuke approached the desk, and Naruto kept close behind him. He looked at all the desks that seemed so small now. There were some notes scribbled in nearly illegible writing on the white board behind Kakashi.

"Much better now," Sasuke said. "This is Naruto."

Naruto smiled and held up a hand. "Hi. Nice to meet ya."

Kakashi eyed him curiously. "You're a friend of Sasuke's? Funny, I don't remember him having any of those when he was in my class. He was a very unsociable, unlovable teenager."

"Aw, I find that hard to believe," Naruto said with a grin. "Then again, it's also very easy to believe, too."

Kakashi laughed. "Sasuke was one of my brightest students, but he was also sarcastic and had very little respect for authority. Luckily, I could always get back at him with whatever information his brother would pass on to me when we went out together."

"I'm not sure how professional it would be for a man of your age to have been hanging out with my brother," said Sasuke.

"Unlike you, Itachi never acted like anything other than a grown up. Even when he was a student of mine."

"You taught Itachi, too?" Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "Man, what would it have been like to teach a guy as smart and talented a that?"

Sasuke coughed.

Naruto realized how that had sounded. "Uh. You're smart and talented, too."

Kakashi chuckled again. "You're right, Naruto. Itachi was... the sort of student that any teacher would want. It's why I knew that he was innocent. I haven't seen him in a while, but I've definitely been thinking about him."

"Ah, well. Now that he's free," Naruto picked some glass object off of the desk and studied it, "You two should totally get together. I bet he'd like that."

"Hmm. Maybe I should. So what are you two kids up to today?"

Naruto set the object down. "Sasuke's takin' me on a tour of the city. I wanted to see his high school."

"You two are...?"

"Dating," Sasuke answered. "He's my partner."

"Partner?" Naruto pulled a face. "You've never called me _partner_ before."

"You're _not_ my partner then?" Sasuke asked, nudging him in the shoulder.

"Don't mind what y'call me so long as it means you're not goin' anywhere." He grinned.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "This is... oddly disturbing but only because I've never seen Sasuke smile this much in one setting, and I had him in my class for three years."

"I'm sure you knew," Sasuke said. "You were never as dumb as you pretended to be."

Crossing his arms, Kakashi sat back in his chair. "I was aware, but it wasn't my business. I'd met your father before, so I could guess at what was happening at home. Although, I was very sorry to hear about your parents."

Sasuke glanced away briefly. "Yes, well. None of us were expecting that to happen exactly. I was... thank you." He grabbed Naruto's hand suddenly. "For coming to their funeral, I mean. I never got the chance to thank you."

"I heard you went to New York after that," said Kakashi.

Naruto was watching his boyfriend's face closely.

"I did. I worked there for a while, went to Europe, and then transferred to Chicago, which is where I met Naruto."

"Mm. I see." Kakashi nodded. "I have to admit this is the happiest I've ever seen you." He looked at Naruto. "This must be your doing?"

Naruto felt his cheeks start to burn. He scratched the back of his neck even while Sasuke squeezed his hand in reassurance. "I dunno about all that."

"Very modest," said Kakashi. "Unlike someone else I know."

"Ha, yeah." Naruto nudged Sasuke in the shoulder. "But he has every reason to brag in my eyes. He's got a lot goin' for him."

"Including you," Sasuke said softly, which only made Naruto blush harder.

"Gah, don't embarrass me in front of your old teacher."

"Seems as if you've changed a lot, Sasuke," Kakashi murmured. "This may come as a surprise, but I did always secretly favor you, so I'm glad to see you turned out so well. I'd like to attribute it to my teaching, but... I really did have very high expectations for you."

Sasuke gave his teacher a crooked grin. "You're getting sentimental in your old age, Kakashi."

Naruto's eyes went wide, and he smacked Sasuke in the arm. "Hey, you can't talk to your teacher like that."

"He hasn't been my teacher in more than five years, Naruto."

"Still." Naruto huffed.

"It's alright," said Kakashi. "He was far more abusive as my student."

"Well, I've been tryin' to instill a few manners in him. He can't be grouchy and surly with _everybody_ he comes across."

"Surly?" Sasuke repeated.

"Yeah, surly."

"Stop calling me Surly." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto laughed. "Asshole."

"Anyway," Sasuke said, turning away from him to face his teacher. "I'm sure we've bothered you enough. I'm going to give Naruto a quick tour, and then we're meeting Itachi for lunch."

"Tell your brother I'll give him a call soon."

"Will do."

After a couple of goodbyes, the two of them turned away, but not before he forced Sasuke to show him which desk he'd sat at during school, so Sasuke pointed in the direction of the other side of the room. "I was in the middle of that end row. Usually."

Naruto hummed. "It's weird, but I'm totally jealous of your classmates right now. We coulda had a lotta fun together."

"Oh, really?" Sasuke asked before ushering him out of the room and toward a stairwell at the end of the hallway. "Just what sort of _fun_ do you think we could've had?"

"Who knows," Naruto replied, holding onto the handrail before realizing how many germs were probably on it. "We mighta been friends. I mighta thought you were pretty funny and interesting."

"Or an asshole," Sasuke supplied.

"Maybe, but I can be an asshole, too. So could a lot of the guys I hung out with... but guess we'll never know, eh?"

"I can imagine that as repressed as I was back then..." He turned to Naruto. "I would've been drawn to you."

"Really?" He scratched his cheek as they made their way to the second floor. Seeing all of the lockers left him with a nostalgic feeling.

"I'm sure I would've found you attractive. I might've tried to deny it, which maybe would've meant I'd go out of my way to ignore you, but..."

"But?" Naruto paused, and Sasuke stopped with him.

A few students walked by, giving them passing glances.

"Well, imagining how you are now, I doubt you would've let me get away with it. Unless of course, you weren't that interested in me."

"I would've been interested, I think," Naruto said. "I would've noticed how smart you were. I mighta even noticed more somehow... that maybe you needed a friend. And, if I ever got close enough to you that I woulda seen your sense of humor, man... it's possible I woulda questioned my sexuality. I bet I would have liked you a lot, Sasuke. I mighta been jealous because you were clearly as awesome as you are now, maybe even more so if you were playin' in bands in the city on nights and weekends... but... I think you'd be surprised how much I would've liked you."

"Not that I believe in regrets, but... maybe things would've gone a lot different if I'd had you as a friend back then."

"Maybe," Naruto said. "But what if things wouldn't have ended up exactly like this for us?"

"Then I'm very glad things happened the way they did. I wouldn't do anything differently."

"Hm. Me neither." Naruto wrinkled his nose. "We better keep movin'. I wouldn't wanna scar any of these kids by makin' out with you in front of them."

"Then maybe I should show you the locker room." Sasuke pointed to an open door to their right. "It should be plenty private. We could make out there. They even have private shower stalls."

"You really _are_ an exhibitionist. And I may be up for most things, but I'm not doin' it in a shower stall at your old high school with a bunch of kids runnin' around."

"Tch. Don't be such a wuss." Sasuke walked away without him and headed toward the locker room.

Naruto chased after him. "Hey. I'm not a wuss! I just don't feel like gettin' arrested."

"No kidding," said Sasuke, stopping to wait for him by the door. "I think I've had my fill of courtrooms for a while."

"No shit. Alright, one kiss, but only if no one's here."

"Can I shove you against a locker while we make out?"

"Sure," said Naruto, flashing him a smirk. "Why not. I'm sure it was one of your teenage fantasies to fuck a jock, right?"

"If you would've gone to my school, then most definitely."

"Well, you'll just have to use your imagination then. Pretend we're both 16 again."

For some reason, that must've triggered something especially perverted in his boyfriend's brain because before he knew it, he was being dragged by the elbow into the locker room, and, from the looks of it, he wouldn't get out of here without at least a few hickeys. Ah, he felt like a kid again... sneaking around to make out just like back then. It did make him wonder, if they really had met somehow when they were 16, would it have turned out in any way the same? He didn't know for sure, but he certainly liked where the path they were on now. Together.

And not just because Sasuke's hand was on his butt or because he was being forced against the locker while his boyfriend used his tongue to pry open his lips.

"Hands above the waist, Sasuke," he said. "There may be kids present."

"Shut up, Naruto." Sasuke smirked. "Can't you just let me fulfill at least one of my old fantasies since you got to fulfill one of yours at the club?"

"Unf," he said, his head knocking back against the locker. "Alright, but..." He started to get distracted as Sasauke snuck a hand under his shirt. "Damn you're a good kisser."

"Of course," said Sasuke. "I'm good at everything, don't you know?"

"Oh man I know it," he said with a laugh, pulling his boyfriend closer to his body - but instead of kissing him, he simply embraced the other man and sighed into his ear. "I really bet you were as amazing then as you are now."

Sasuke nudged the side of his neck with his nose. "I bet you were, too."

"Well, maybe we should get goin'..." He shut his eyes when Sasuke started to suck at the side of his throat. "...Your brother's probably waitin'."

"Just a few more minutes," Sasuke murmured.

"Okay." Naruto ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair. "A few more minutes then."


	14. No Place Like Home

Even though they were already running behind, Sasuke decided to make one more stop, and it appeared to be a record store. As they were getting out of the car, Naruto had the craziest feeling. Somehow, it was very easy for him to imagine Sasuke coming here after school, flipping through some records, and maybe listening to them while still in his school uniform.

"Damn it," he muttered, stopping short of the store front.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto turned to him and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow." Sasuke pulled a face. "What the hell was that about?"

"You used to do things without me!" Naruto said. "I don't like that!"

"What?" Sasuke blinked at him several times, but Naruto just continued to glare. "... Would you rather not go inside? I'm confused."

Naruto punched him again (a little less hard than before). "No! Of course I wanna see it, you bastard!" Without waiting for Sasuke, he marched in through the store front and was greeted by a bell that chimed above his head.

There was a strong smell of incense. Posters and flyers were taped all over the walls. Music was playing, but it wasn't a band he recognized. They sounded British and punk, and that's about as far as his knowledge could take him before he ventured over to the closest aisle and began thumbing his way through all of the different record albums.

Not a minute later, Sasuke came up to him and nudged him in the shoulder. "There's someone I want you to meet."

"Huh? Oh..." He put the record he was looking at back in its place. "Who is it?"

"Come on." Grabbing his hand, Sasuke walked him across the room to the counter, where there was an older Asian woman sitting on a stool, smoking from a hookah.

She saw them, and, pulling out her pipe, glanced slowly over at Sasuke.

"Haven't seen you in a while... Sasuke." Though there wasn't much movement from her lips, her eyes appeared to be smiling. Although, the corner of her mouth drooped a bit, indicating she might've had a stroke at some point.

"Neko-baa," said Sasuke, "This is my friend, Naruto."

"Hm..." She glanced at him, eyes squinting almost all the way shut. "Nice to meet you, boy. Sasuke's been coming to my shop since he was very young... and now what a handsome young man you've grown up to be."

This made Naruto smile. He looked at Sasuke, surprised to see that he was blushing. Naruto poked him in the arm.

"Hear that? She says you're handsome."

"Indeed," said the woman. "As I remember, he comes from a very handsome family. I hadn't seen your brother for a long time until I saw his picture on the news. I knew those greedy old corporate bastards had framed him. Itachi was one of the nicest boys I've ever known."

Naruto laughed at the old woman's manner as he rested an arm on the counter.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Yes, we're very happy with the jury's decision. Naruto and I are on our way to meet him for lunch."

"Mmhmm, I see. You should show him the basement, too, if you have time. We still have those booths you used to love. Say, do you... still have that one tabby your mother picked out all of those years ago?"

"Ollie?" Naruto asked. "You got Ollie from here?!"

Sasuke glanced at him coolly before answering the woman, "Yes, he lives with me in Illinois. I work out of Chicago now."

The old woman nodded, grabbing for her pipe again. "Very good. You are still in the music business I take it?"

Sasuke nodded. "I am... it's probably thanks to you. I have a lot of fond memories of coming here."

"Mm. Yes. I always knew music was cathartic for you, Sasuke. Glad to hear you're doing well. You take your time now and show your friend around, alright?"

"I will."

"Nice to meet you," said Naruto when Sasuke grabbed for his hand again and led him to a door in the back.

They passed through some hanging beads before they headed down the carpeted stairway. There were a few guitars mounted on the walls, bookshelves full of records, and then there were several old British telephone booths that looked as though they'd been welded together somehow to form a two-person listening booth.

"Ah, cool," Naruto mumbled as he went to check them out.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was seeking out a record for them to listen to, so Naruto took a seat on the bench inside of one of the booths. It didn't take very long before Sasuke joined him. Naruto watched as he put the record on the small turntable.

"What did you end up picking out?" He asked.

"Nothing you would've heard of," replied Sasuke.

"Hmph. I may know more than you think."

"I didn't mean it as an insult. This is the kind of music I would listen to in high school." He handed Naruto the album cover, and Sasuke was right, it's not a band he'd really heard of before, so he read through the songlist on the back.

"Does that mean this is the kinda music that you played when you were in a band?"

"Hm." Sasuke slid the booth door shut and took a seat next to him. "Technically I wasn't really in a particular band. There were a few I played with when they needed a back-up. There was one band that I did play with more than others, though. The lead singer was charismatic, but a total asshole. They were older guys than me. In college. And because I often played with them, I was able to get into bars easily."

Naruto looked at him inquisitively. "Older men, huh?"

"Don't even think it," said Sasuke. "I got very little action in high school."

"So there was a time in our lives when I may have had more experience?"

Sasuke sighed. "Shut up, Naruto." He reached around and forced Naruto to rest his head on Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I didn't save myself for you, but at least we know you're the first man that I've - "

When he stopped, Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

Sasuke kept playing with his hair, preventing him from moving his head, not that he would've as this was incredibly comfortable.

"I've... never been in love with anyone before like this," Sasuke told him. "A crush or two maybe, when I was young... but... dating you... that feels far more intimate and meaningful to me than the first time I ever slept with a man."

Naruto inhaled sharply, closed his eyes, and chewed at his bottom lip. He knew exactly what Sasuke meant, and although he'd been in serious, long-term relationships before, it's true that he'd never felt _this_ way about anyone he'd been with prior to Sasuke. In high school, he'd never even considered anything like a long-term relationship. College was a little different. As he grew older, he was able to appreciate the companionship, and as he'd grown less jaded about losing his mother at a young age... he felt a lot more open to the possibility of romance.

Since Naruto was unable to say anything for a while, they simply listened to the music together while Sasuke continued combing his fingers through Naruto's hair. Feeling content, Naruto moved a hand to Sasuke's thigh, just wanting more of a physical connection. His heart felt strange inside his chest because it kept fluttering every few beats. He wiped his hand over Sasuke's leg since his palm was starting to sweat.

He kind of got lost in his thoughts, about Sasuke as a teenager and what life was like for him, then about his own childhood. He thought of his mother and became a little melancholy. Then he thought about Sasuke's parents for a while. In a way, he did feel a peace, but he also just felt... really emotional. He didn't know why life for them had worked out the way it did - why he lost his mother, why Sasuke lost both parents, but it was certainly a factor in why their bond was so strong. They both had known pain and loneliness in a way that not everyone could relate to, and rather than coming together to fill those voids, it seemed... they'd met at a time in their life when they'd come to terms with their pasts and... could only add more to each other's lives - in a positive way.

It's not as if he'd felt empty or anything before he'd met Sasuke, but he certainly felt complete now. Not that he'd ever realized he'd been looking for something like that. Rather, he _hadn't_ been looking for it at all when they met four months ago at Starbuck's, and yet... here they were.

"You're not crying, are you?" Sasuke murmured, turning to kiss Naruto on the top of his head.

"I don't cry over _everything_, y'know."

"Yes you do."

He briefly closed his eyes. "I feel like... I want to drag you into bed, pull a blanket over us, and just lay on top of you for at least three days."

"Okay."

Naruto chuckled.

"Anything you want to do, I'm perfectly game," said Sasuke. "No explanation necessary."

"Even if I wanna have a threesome with you and Itachi before we go home?"

"Is that really what you want?" When he shifted, Naruto was able to lift his head and look at him. "Would that make you happy?"

Naruto searched his face. "No, not at all."

"Why not?" Sasuke smiled, and Naruto's heart did another stupid fluttering thing. This time he covered it with his hand, but Sasuke caught the motion. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered, also grinning. "You do things to my heart all the time."

Leaning in, Sasuke placed a gentle kiss to his cheek, his nose pressing against him. "...Do you think she'd notice if we had sex in one of her booths?"

"It does seem like it'd be kinda rude."

He closed his eyes and sighed when Sasuke kissed him on the cheek again.

Naruto turned toward him, and their mouths met in a kiss, slow and heated at first, but when Sasuke cupped his cheek, Naruto let out a needy little whine in the back of his throat. Sasuke took hold of the sides of Naruto's face and deepened the kiss, using his tongue to part Naruto's lips.

By the time they stopped, he had a grip on the front of Sasuke's shirt and their foreheads were touching.

"Okay, even if it _is_ rude, I..."

"Maybe later." Sasuke snickered. "Are you never satisfied, Naruto?"

"What can I say? Every time I think about how much I love you, I just wanna fuck your brains out." He smirked.

"How very romantic."

"Hm. Maybe, though, I'm kinda in the mood..." He lifted his head, staring at Sasuke's lips. "To... bottom. Or, whatever."

"Hn."

He glanced up and already knew his boyfriend would be smirking.

"Feeling submissive, are we?" Sasuke asked with a glint of humor in his eyes.

"Yeah. So?"

"So, nothing, but you saying that has left me with a bit of a problem."

Naruto barked out a laugh. "Not that I'm eager to leave here or have you leave your brother, but I can't wait to get back to your apartment and have a bit of privacy."

"We had plenty of privacy last night," Sasuke whispered as he moved in to kiss along Naruto's neck.

"I know, but... I always feel the most comfortable in your bed."

"Really?" Sasuke started to kiss the line of his jaw and chin. "I like when you're in my bed, too."

"Then you should take me to your bed when we get home."

"Oh, I'll take you to bed alright, don't worry."

"You want to take me?" Naruto asked in a husky voice, shutting his eyes when Sasuke sucked that _one_ spot.

"If by take you, you mean I want to be inside you, then yes."

Naruto let out a groan. "Your damn dirty mouth."

"It's true, though."

"I know, that's why it's so goddam hot."

"Maybe when we get home, you can talk dirty to me, and you can tell me all of the things you want me to do to you."

"Me?" Naruto nearly squeaked. "But you're the one who always talks that way."

"Hm. Then I'll put it this way. Whatever you tell me to do, I'll obey."

"Yeah, I bet you'd like somethin' like that."

"I would."

Naruto met his gaze, and Sasuke's eyes were like black pools of lust that led him to run his tongue across his bottom lip.

"Okay, then maybe next week _you_ can greet me at the door in a jockstrap."

"If that's what you want," said Sasuke.

"We, um. Should go soon because... guh." He tugged at the front of his shirt as if it would help relieve the tension. "It's gettin' really warm in here."

"Okay. I'll take a rain check." Sasuke stood, but he was still clearly sporting a hard-on. He noticed Naruto looking and tilted his head to the side. "I'll think about you and Itachi, and it should go away pretty quickly."

Naruto scowled. "Don't think about me with another guy!"

"Should I think about you with a woman?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Your ex-girlfriend _was_ very pretty."

"Shut up." He stood up, too, watching as Sasuke took the record off and slipped it into the cover.

Naruto pushed open the door so that they could get out and waited by the stairs as Sasuke put the album away. They shared one more kiss before heading up the stairs, where he was accosted by a tiny gray ball of fluff. It mewled at him and rubbed up against the side of his ankle.

"It's so fuckin' cute." He bent over and scooped it up into his arms, holding the tiny kitten against his chest.

"Don't even ask if you can keep it."

"But it's friggin' cute, Sasuke!"

"One of our cats just had a litter of six," the old woman said from behind the counter. "That one must've escaped the box I'd put them in in the back."

He held it up to Sasuke, and then he held it up above his head.

"Everything the light touches is our Kingdom," Naruto said to the kitty.

Sasuke snickered. "You're such a dork."

"That was a good movie. I cry every time I watch it."

"Everything makes you cry." Sasuke took the kitty from him and cradled it in his arms.

Naruto rubbed its tiny head as it purred and tried to grab for his finger. "Makes me miss Ollie. I know you won't admit it, but you miss him, too."

"Hm."

The kitten squirmed and shifted and proceeded to dig its tiny claws into the front of Sasuke's shirt.

"I think he likes you," Naruto said, smiling at him.

"He's still not coming home with us." He picked the tiny creature up by the scruff of its neck and placed it back on the floor, where it scampered and slid across the wood until it disappeared into a back room.

Naruto leaned into him for a moment. "You ready?"

Sasuke's eyes were warm as he looked at him. "I am. I'm sure even Itachi's getting impatient waiting for us."

"We'll buy him lunch then."

"Technically, he's the one who owes _me_."

"Okay, then _I'll_ buy lunch."

"If you're offering." He took hold of Naruto's hand, and after waving goodbye to the old woman, they headed out the door, the bell chiming musically above their heads.

* * *

><p>After meeting up with Itachi at an awesome seafood restaurant close to the pier, they decided to go for a walk along the water. Itachi, not that he ever looked <em>unattractive<em>, appeared as though he'd partied pretty hard last night. It gave him and Sasuke the opportunity to spend most of their lunch teasing him about the dark circles under his eyes.

"This is what you have to look forward to," Itachi had said. "As the both of you get older."

Once they'd left the restaurant, the three of them chit-chatted about nothing in particular.

Naruto took in a deep breath, smelling the salt coming off of the Sound. There was a large cruise ship not too far off in the distance.

"Hey, Sasuke," he said, tugging at the elbow of his jacket. "There's one of those giant ferris wheels. Wanna go for a ride on that?"

"As if. You know how I feel about those," Sasuke replied, the wind whipping his bangs to the side of his face.

"I'll go on it," said Itachi. "If you want to. My brother can watch us having fun together."

Naruto smiled at him, ignoring the glare Sasuke was sending his brother. "Really!?"

"Really." Itachi returned his smile. "After all, soon you'll be leaving me."

"Did y'hear that, Sasuke?" Naruto turned to him, trying to hold in his laughter. "Your brother and I are gonna go on a romantic spin on that thing. What if the view's so magical that I end up fallin' for him instead of you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Hey, if you two want to go on that death trap then by all means."

"It's fine. I don't wanna go without you. But, it's not like it's gonna fall off or anything."

"How do _you_ know?" Sasuke asked. "I'm sure it's happened somewhere."

Itachi cuffed him on the back of the head. "Now, Sasuke. Naruto and I would never let anything happen to you."

"Nope. If we _did_ happen to fall out, I'd grab you and make it so I hit the ground first."

"Another lovely visual, thanks for that," Sasuke sneered as he glanced up at the monster tourist attraction. "My last image of you will be of your skull shattering and your brains spilling across the pavement."

"If it makes you feel better, I probably won't feel a thing." Naruto threw an arm around his boyfriend's shoulder and pulled him close. "But, no big deal. If you don't wanna go."

"I'll go," Sasuke replied stubbornly.

"Yay." Naruto planted a kiss on his cheek. "That makes me happy."

"Hm." Sasuke grabbed his hand. "I don't know if I've ever given into peer pressure before."

Naruto whispered into his ear, "Hey, we're way closer than peers, and I'm likely to reward you for your bravery."

Sasuke raised a brow. "I'm not scared, Naruto."

"Uh huh."

"Good," said Itachi. "Then the matter is settled. I'll purchase three tickets." The older man started heading toward the ferris wheel, and Naruto watched his back.

When it was just the two of them, he asked, "You sure you wanna do this? Don't feel like you have to. I'm fine just goin' with your brother."

"It's fine. You said you wouldn't let anything happen. I can trust in that."

Suddenly, Naruto grinned at him, his eyes crinkling as he gazed at his boyfriend. He let out a little laugh of pleasure and shoved his hands into his coat pockets while rocking back and forth on the soles of his feet.

"Does doing this make you that happy?" Sasuke asked in a quiet voice.

He nodded. "Yep."

"Then it's definitely worth it. After this, do you want to take a ride on the ferry?"

"Oh my God, yes, I do."

"Can I have a kiss then?" Sasuke asked, smirking at him.

Naruto bit at his lip before leaning forward, closing his eyes, and pressing his lips to his boyfriend's. Sasuke cupped the back of his head, fingers absently playing with his hair until they parted.

"One day, I'll take you on a vacation. Maybe we'll go abroad, and I can show you parts of the world you've never seen."

"Mm. You sure like to travel, don't you?"

"I do," Sasuke answered. "But, I'd like to travel with you some time. If you're interested."

Almost shyly, Naruto smiled at him. "I'd like that."

"Well, we better get going, or, knowing Itachi, he'll get on that hideous monstrosity without us."

Naruto chuckled as they started moving in that direction. For a while, the two of them simply walked side by side. He didn't know why, but every time he snuck a glance at Sasuke, he felt embarrassingly giddy.

Eventually Sasuke caught him in the act. "What?"

Naruto scrunched his nose. "Nothin'."

"Naruto."

"Hm?" He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"I was just thinking...you look really good today. Not that you don't look attractive every day." Sasuke actually smiled. "The sun always brings out the blue in your eyes."

"Oh man, you are _so_ gettin' laid for the millionth time."

Sasuke chuckled. "I wasn't really worried about _that_. I always get laid."

"Shuddup!" Naruto nudged him in the side, laughing heartily. "Cocky bastard." Slipping an arm around his boyfriend's waist, he set his head on Sasuke's shoulder, even if it was only very briefly. "Stop bein' so gay with me, huh?"

"I'll try."

"I like you a lot," Naruto told him. "Just so you know."

"I know you do. What's there not to like?"

Naruto lifted his head and laughed again; Sasuke met his gaze and smirked.

"Yeah." He had to look ahead because he was trying to fight off a strong urge he had that involved throwing Sasuke down on the ground and making out with him until they both passed out from lack of oxygen. Itachi could just drag the both of them back to the car or something. "I definitely can't wait to get back home. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer of... you bein' at my service for an evening."

"Definitely," said Sasuke, eagerly enough that Naruto knew he meant it. "You can come home from work, and I'll be waiting on my knees at the door."

Unconsciously, he licked his lips at that particular image. "You'll do whatever I say?"

"Anything," Sasuke promised.

Naruto groaned. "You are, seriously, like the sexiest person I've ever known, you know that, right?"

"Feeling's mutual." Sasuke gave him a light slap on the ass. "Maybe it's why we get along so well in the bedroom."

"Yeah, but we get along outside of the bedroom, too."

"True. But I _really_ like how well we along in there."

"Whore," said Naruto.

"Brat," replied Sasuke.

"Heh. Reminds me of our second date."

"Did that qualify as our second date?" Sasuke inquired, tilting his head a bit.

Not surprising he knew exactly what Naruto was talking about.

"Maybe not," Naruto replied as he brushed his fingers against Sasuke's. "Suigetsu was there, and so was Kiba. Maybe it was more like a double date?"

Sasuke sighed. "Not sure that counts as a double date."

"That would mean I put out before our second date even."

"Mm, sure does." Sasuke reached for his hand. "Technically you put out _during_ our first date."

"It's not like I was expectin' what happened in the dressing room stall, y'know."

"I couldn't help it. After you defended my honor in the liquor store, what did you expect?"

"True," said Naruto as he squeezed his boyfriend's hand. "I guess that hero-thing really works on people."

"Sure does," Sasuke replied so quickly that Naruto had to laugh.

"I got you back on the living room floor, though. I think it was what you said about dancin' around in your underwear to Kelly Clarkson that really did it for me."

"Hm. I think it was your mouth on my cock that did it for _me_."

Naruto laughed aloud again. When they were close to the line for the ferris wheel, they spotted Itachi waiting for them toward the end of the queue.

Itachi handed them their tickets. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, you don't wanna know," said Naruto.

"Just so we're clear," Itachi poked him in the forehead just like Sasuke always did to him, "Everyone's going to keep their hands to themselves when we're up there, correct?"

"I make no promises," said Sasuke.

"He'll be too busy tryin' not to piss his pants to try anything." Naruto winked at him.

"I would laugh, but that's probably not so far from the truth," Sasuke admitted.

"So, it'll be just like when you were four years old all over again." Itachi glanced smugly at his brother.

"I hate you," Sasuke growled at him. "That happened once."

"Hey, man, don't worry about it," Naruto gave him a consoling pat on the back. "I did it at least a couple of times in college after a heavy night of drinkin'. There's no shame in wettin' the bed."

"I didn't do it on purpose," explained Sasuke. "I usually slept with a nightlight, but Itachi was being an asshole and had turned it off. I couldn't find my way out of the room because it was so dark."

"Ah, so that's what it's like to have a brother?" Naruto sighed. "Maybe I should be glad I'm an only child, huh?"

"No kidding," said Sasuke.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sasuke." Itachi ruffled his brother's hair. "As I recall, you used to follow me around the house and whenever we had visitors, you'd go out of your way to sit in my lap, kiss me on the cheek, and call me o~nii~sama."

"That never happened," said Sasuke.

Naruto snorted, having said at the exact same time, "I can totally see this happening."

The both of them looked at each other - Sasuke with a glare, and Naruto with a huge grin.

With a huff, Sasuke crossed his arms to his chest and looked toward the water. "Say another word, and I'm not going on this goddam ferris wheel with the two of you jerks."

"Fine," said Naruto, sharing an amused look with Itachi. "We'll behave. I promise." He held up his hand. "Scout's honor."

* * *

><p>Judging from the way Sasuke spent most of the ride on the ferris wheel in the corner of the carriage, gripping the seat tight and staring only at the floor, the ferry seemed much more his boyfriend's speed. Naruto had never been on one this size before, not even close. He got to watch as all of the vehicles piled into the lower part, including motorcycles and bikes.<p>

It was around 6 p.m., so the sun had begun to set. All of the lights in the nearby office buildings were on, making the skyline look even cooler. It almost reminded him of being on Lake Michigan. The ferry ride each way was about 30 minutes. Itachi had gone downstairs to get himself a coffee and Sasuke and Naruto a cup of hot chocolate. While waiting for him to return, he and Sasuke people watched as they stood next to the railing on the upper deck.

"Do y'think we'll see any whales or dolphins?" He asked.

"Maybe. I've seen some a few times."

"Do you miss livin' here?" Naruto hunched over the rail, setting his elbows on top of it as he leaned forward to watch the ferry gliding through the water.

"I miss some things," Sasuke answered thoughtfully. "But being here... there's a lot of memories. I don't know if I could ever live here permanently again."

"Really? 'Cause I thought you were about to," Naruto murmured, resting his head on his arms.

"I didn't know what I was thinking, Naruto... especially that night."

"I know. I didn't mean to drag that up again so that we'd fight about it. What I wanna say is... I hope that you'll never feel stuck in Illinois."

"I don't feel _stuck_," Sasuke told him. "I haven't even been there that long, and, of course... you're there."

Holding his hair to the side to keep it out of his eyes, Naruto squinted up at him, but Sasuke's gaze was directed toward the sunset. He straightened himself up so that their sides touched as they both looked out at the water.

"Y'know, Sasuke," he said, and Sasuke turned to him. "I... find it so hard to believe that out of all the people you've met, that none of them snatched you up for themselves."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you going on about?"

"I just... I look at you, and I feel lucky. That you picked me."

"You _are_ lucky," he said dryly. "Obviously there was a waiting list. Lots of men would love to be in your shoes."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'd argue with you, but I know it's probably the truth."

Sasuke chuckled, and the sound made his chest tighten.

"I dunno how it's possible to love someone so much one day and love them even more the next," Naruto murmured.

"Hm?" Sasuke nudged him. "It's too loud. I can't hear anything."

Naruto shrugged. "I just said that I'm dumping you when we get back."

"It was a good run while it lasted." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto let out a laugh as he gripped the top of Sasuke's arm. "Asshole."

Right about then, Itachi appeared. He had a holder of drinks in one hand and looked to be shoving his phone into a pocket with his other.

"Important phone call?" Sasuke asked. "Or was it the press again?"

"None of the above." Itachi smiled. "Just building memories."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked him, but Itachi shook his head.

Naruto grabbed their drinks. "Thanks for the hot chocolate."

"You're welcome. Enjoying the view so far? Though I think it pales in comparison to being at the top of the Great Wheel."

"Yeah. It's pretty amazing. I kinda wish we had a few more days, but I'm sure we'll be back again to visit."

"Preferably under different circumstances." Itachi stood between him and Sasuke.

They were all looking out at the water, and, after a minute, Naruto pointed at something jumping out of the ocean. "Look! Dolphins! Ah, where's my phone, I gotta take a picture!" He fumbled around in his pocket for his phone.

Itachi took his phone out, too, and was already snapping some photos.

"See that, Sasuke," Naruto said as he leaned behind Itachi to poke his boyfriend.

"I do," he said. "Now take your pictures before they disappear, idiot."

"Fine, fine." He took a few pictures and, trying to be inconspicuous, after he was done taking some of the dolphins, he snapped a couple of Itachi and Sasuke, and then took one or two close-ups of his boyfriend.

Now that he thought about it, they hadn't really taken any photos since they'd been here. Itachi happened to notice what he was doing.

"Should we ask someone to take a photo of the three of us?" Itachi offering his own phone, grabbed the first person to walk by (a pretty young woman in a business suit) and asked if she wouldn't mind taking a photo.

Itachi put his arms around Naruto and Sasuke. The woman took the photo and handed the phone back to Itachi with a smile and a blush. Although, maybe Naruto had imagined it.

"I'll text it to you," Itachi said to him. "Which means I'll have to get your number."

"What? Really?" Wait, was he acting just like that woman had? "Awesome. I'd like that."

"How else are we going to stay in touch after this?"

Naruto grinned. "Alright."

"What are you two talking about?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Nothing you need worry about, little brother."

"You saying that makes me even more suspicious." Sasuke grabbed for Naruto's wrist. "You come over here where I can keep an eye on you."

Naruto snickered. "Possessive bastard."

"If you think the waiting list for _me_ is long, you should see the one for my brother," Sasuke mumbled.

Naruto laughed as he brought his hot chocolate to his lips. "I can definitely believe that."

* * *

><p>Having been in Seattle for nearly a week, they decided to fly back to Chicago on Saturday morning. After going around Seattle all Thursday afternoon and evening, the three of them spent a low-key Friday at the house. They did normal things like watch Netflix, play games, and go get groceries together. The lawyer, Dr. Sarutobi, stopped by in the early evening to go over some extra paperwork, which included signing various accounts and documents for the house back into Itachi's name.<p>

Since it didn't involve him, Naruto mostly steered clear as all that happened. For a while, he played a JRPG of Itachi's, but then he ended up in the garage, staring at the ATV and wondering if Yahiko was back in Belize. He smiled, thinking about how excited the other man had been about having a baby. Not that Naruto was too concerned with having kids considering he was all of 23, but he liked the idea of kids in the future.

Once Dr. Sarutobi left the house, the three of them made a quiet dinner together, sat around the dining room table, and just talked a lot about all kinds of things. Even though he knew Sasuke was eager to get back to work, he sensed that his boyfriend was also a bit anxious to leave his brother. He was careful to give the two of them enough time alone.

Later that night, he returned to Sasuke's room to pack their clothes and toiletries. Sasuke wandered in eventually to see if he wanted to watch a movie in the basement, so the three of them piled onto the couch (he tried not to snicker at the thought of what he and Sasuke had done on said couch just a couple of nights ago). He remembered dozing off a couple of times - they were watching _Empire Strikes Back_ - but, at some point, Sasuke nudged him awake so that they could go to bed.

Wiping at his eyes, Naruto walked up to Itachi and wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

Itachi ruffled his hair. "Make sure you take advantage of the fact I gave you my number," he said to Naruto. "I don't give that out to just _anybody_."

"Yeah, I'm sure I could sell it for a lot on eBay."

Itachi chuckled. "I'll be up to take the two of you to the airport tomorrow, so it doesn't have to be goodbye yet."

"Hm, I know." Naruto backed away, one eye half-way shut as he yawned. "M'gonna go to bed before I pass out."

"Okay. Good night, Naruto."

Sasuke stayed behind, but Naruto trekked his way up the stairs and headed for the bedroom where he texted his father just to say goodnight and then texted Kiba, who would be picking them up at O'Hare at around one in the afternoon (Central time).

After slipping out of his clothes, Naruto pulled on a pair of pajama pants and crawled under the covers. He lay there, nearly asleep, for maybe ten minutes before Sasuke came into the room.

He watched him change, having left the light near Sasuke's side on. "Sasuke? You okay?"

"I'm fine." Sasuke slid in next to him. "I think I'm ready to go back."

"You sure? You could always go back later. You don't have to go back with me."

"I definitely want to go back with you." Sasuke reached over and brushed his bangs out of his eyes for him. "Ollie's probably wondering where we are."

"Hmm. I'm surprised you care."

"I care." He snuggled closer to Naruto, throwing an arm over his lower back. "What should we do when we get home?"

Naruto smiled. "Home? Hm. Nothin', I hope. I wanna just take it easy, don't you?"

"Yeah." He skirted his fingers up Naruto's back.

"You're pretty," Naruto said to him in a sleepy voice, half of his face smashed against the pillow.

Sasuke smirked. "I know."

"M'gonna fall asleep, but I want you to keep talkin' to me, okay?"

"Of course. Anything you want, Naruto."

Being the good boyfriend that he was, Sasuke talked for a while, mostly about bands he had meetings with next week and recent tracks he'd listened to the week before and had apparently liked. Naruto enjoyed hearing Sasuke talk about music, because it was something he knew his boyfriend was really passionate about, but...it didn't stop him from drifting off.

Only to be woken about six hours later when the alarm went off.

* * *

><p>The drive to the airport was a pretty quiet one. Naruto sat in the back of the rental car, which Itachi was going to return for them. He only heard Sasuke say a handful of things to his brother. After checking-in, they decided to hang out at Starbuck's for a while, and when it was time for them to head to their gate, Naruto was a lot more sad than he'd expected to be. As soon as he hugged Itachi goodbye, he was the first to walk away as he headed in the direction of the line for security.<p>

From a distance, he watched as Sasuke said his goodbyes. It was almost as heartbreaking as that first day he'd met Itachi and seen how much Sasuke truly cared about his brother. Naruto adjusted the heavy backpack on his shoulder while waiting. When Sasuke walked his way, he appeared surprisingly stoic. Even while standing at Naruto's side, he didn't say anything and simply pressed a hand to his back, ushering him toward the end of the line.

After they passed through security and were waiting for their row, Sasuke reached for his hand. Neither of them said anything or even looked at each other until it was their time to board. They walked onto the plane, both of them morose, and found their seats, Naruto sat next to the window, and Sasuke took the middle. It was a pretty packed flight. A bit of rain hit against his window, and Naruto watched out of it for a while before pulling the shade down. Luckily he felt too tired to be as anxious as he normally would've been before take off.

By the time they reached cruising altitude, he ended up passing out anyway, and didn't wake up again until the plane began its descent into Chicago.

* * *

><p>Even though he'd slept on the plane, Naruto suddenly felt as though he hadn't slept for days, so, on the ride home, he ended up curling into a ball in the back seat. He listened to Kiba and Sasuke talking about the trip, smiling every once in a while at their sarcastic banter. Sometimes Kiba would ask him something, but he was so exhausted he only responded with a grunt or one-word answer. He wasn't even in a bad mood, he just, literally, could not keep his eyes open and yet his brain was too wide awake to let him sleep.<p>

With Kiba at the helm, the drive didn't take a whole lot more than 45 minutes, and because they needed to pick up Ollie, Kiba dropped them off at his dad's house. He said he'd give him a call tomorrow.

He and Sasuke went ahead and put their luggage inside Naruto's truck, which he'd left parked there the entire week. Almost as soon as they walked inside the front door, Ollie came running up the basement stairs to greet them. He was followed shortly thereafter by Minato, who immediately pulled them into a hug.

"I'm sure it's been a long trip for the both of you," he said softly.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hi, Naruto." His father ruffled his hair and then took hold of Sasuke by the shoulders. "And you, how are you doing, Sasuke?"

"Good." Sasuke smiled at the older man, albeit tiredly. "I hope Ollie wasn't too much trouble. Thank you for watching him this entire time."

"Of course," said Minato. "He's part of the family, too. And your brother, I hope you left him well?"

"He'll be busy over the next few months as he looks for another job. Not that he'll have a problem with that. He was getting calls from firms just yesterday."

"I'm happy to hear that," said Minato. "So, are you two going to stay for dinner, or are you ready to go back home?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "S'up to you, but I'm gonna crash pretty soon."

"Yeah, you look tired." Sasuke smiled faintly. "Why don't we pack up Ollie and his things, and I'll drive us home?"

Naruto nodded. "Sounds good." He glanced at his Dad. "Unless you wanted company?"

"Don't worry about me. Between Ollie and Kiba, I haven't lacked for somebody to talk to this past week." His dad grinned at him, looking so happy to have the two of them home that he had to smile, too.

"Mmkay. Thanks again' for watchin' him." Naruto scooped the orange cat into his arms and scratched the top of his head. "We'll come by tomorrow for dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," said Minato. "You two get some sleep. It's good to have you home again."

"It's good to be home."

His father had already packed up all of Ollie's toys, food/water dishes, and various kitty accessories, so Sasuke had everything they needed within a few minutes. They put Ollie into his crate, and, after waving goodbye to his Dad, they got into the truck. It always amused him to see Sasuke driving his car (which only happened if Naruto was too drunk or tired to drive).

"What?" Sasuke asked when he caught him staring.

"Nothin'," said Naruto. "You look good drivin' my truck is all."

"I bet," Sasuke replied.

"No, you do."

"Do we need to pick up anything on the way to the apartment?" Sasuke looked behind his shoulder as he reversed out of the driveway and onto the road.

Ollie meowed pathetically from the back seat as he wasn't exactly a fan of being in the crate or of driving.

"We're goin' home, Ollie," he said, resting his head against the window. "Oh! I forgot. Your brother gave me somethin' before we got on the plane."

Naruto had to unbuckle his seat belt in order to reach into the back seat for his bag. He opened the zipper and pulled out a large, square envelope.

"What's that?" Sasuke asked.

"Dunno. Somethin' your brother gave me and told me not to open 'til we got to Chicago."

"It better not be a love letter," said Sasuke as he turned on the wipers.

Eagerly, Naruto ripped it open and pulled out a folded up note, which on one side read: _I believe you were interested in this_.

As he unfolded it the rest of the way, a single photograph fell out and landed in his lap.

Naruto picked it up and smiled. He glanced over at Sasuke and burst into an even bigger grin. "I really love your brother." He showed Sasuke the picture.

"Why the hell would he give you that?" Sasuke asked.

"Because I might have said somethin' about wanting a copy?"

"Naru_to_."

He stuck his tongue out at him childishly. "Oh, right, like you really expected me to believe that cabinet was rigged with explosives? C'mon. I was totally gonna snoop!"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know why you would want that picture of me anyway."

Naruto waved it at him. "Because you look cool, Sasuke."

"I _always_ look cool," Sasuke replied in a self-mocking manner, but Naruto also thought he looked appropriately smug.

"You do," Naruto agreed with a nod. "I totally woulda been jealous if we'd known each other...but then again, I did grow up to be pretty damn hot myself."

Sasuke laughed, and Naruto smiled at him.

"It feels good to be home, doesn't it?"

"It does," said Sasuke. "It'll be nice to sleep in our bed tonight."

"'Our'?" Naruto mused. "I suppose I should think about tellin' my landlord that I won't be signin' my lease for next year."

"I suppose so." Sasuke's eyes were on the road, but he looked extremely pleased about something.

"Would it really make you that happy for me to move in with you?"

"Don't you remember? I asked you the very first weekend to consider it."

"You were that sure about me even then?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.

"I was sure within the first 20 minutes that we met."

Naruto gazed at him for a long time before, growing flustered, he had to look elsewhere. He breathed against the window, watching as it fogged up the glass. He still held the photo of Sasuke in his one hand while absently rubbing his thumb over its edge. It occurred to him then that, even though he already knew what he and Sasuke had was special, they'd come out of this very tough week a lot stronger as a couple. It was definitely the first hurdle in their relationship, and it certainly hadn't been a small one. Though he'd always considered them close, he felt even closer to Sasuke now. There was something about seeing someone's (dark side? weaknesses?) that made a bond even deeper. He'd seen some of Sasuke's, and Sasuke had seen some of his, and, still, everything between them was so easy and awesome, and all he wanted to do was go home so that they could just... hang out.

"What are you thinking?" Sasuke asked. "You've gone quiet."

"I'm wondering what type of frame I should get for your picture." He fanned Sasuke with it, keeping his thoughts to himself for now.

"Really, though. What are you going to do with it?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I can't trust you if I leave it at your apartment, so I'll either have to put it on my desk at work or my bedroom dresser."

"You realize I wasn't even 17 when that picture was taken, right? I didn't know you were into kids, Naruto."

"Guess you're into guys who are into 16-year-olds," Naruto teased.

"Oh, shut up," Sasuke growled. "I thought you were over that."

"I am. I ended up likin' him. He was a good guy. I suppose he was worthy enough for your first time."

Sasuke snorted. "Well, I'm glad you approve. What about _your_ first time?" He looked over at Naruto.

"_My_ first time with a guy? Yeah, he was definitely worthy," Naruto held his chin as if thinking very hard, "But... I just can't seem to remember his name."

Sasuke cuffed him on the back of his head, and Naruto snickered.

"Idiot," his boyfriend said affectionately.

Naruto hummed at him while watching the windshield wipers moving back and forth. "M'tired, Sasuke."

"Then close your eyes and go to sleep. We'll be home soon."

Naruto did close his eyes. "There's no place like home," he murmured and felt Sasuke grab for his hand. "So long as you're there, it feels like home..."

**The end.**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Hope you enjoyed the final chapter in the Coffee Universe, however out of order it all became. I wanted to archive these last two parts (Seattle and Dream) on FF for the people who had already followed the universe. I won't be posting anything further on this site. I have lots of other stories published on y-gallery dot net. Only y-gal members can directly access my page, so a link wouldn't even help you. **You must be 18 to join.**


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